Traveller's Tales
by Brain Specialist
Summary: When a new character, Jack, enters the crew's lives, their world changes forever. Set after Serenity.
1. Dreams

'If you don't shut the ship down, we're all going to die!' Jack shouted at Mal. Serenity started to shake. 

'Can't we run?' Mal shouted.

'No time, no time! If you want to live, you'll shut the ship down! Go dark! Hide! Whatever! Just DO IT!' Without a second's hesitation, Jack flipped three switches and the ship's interior went dark. Meanwhile, Mal went down to the engine room.

'Kaylee! Kaylee! Kaylee, where the Hell are you!' Mal shouted as he walked around. He heard giggling and whispering from Kaylee's room. He knocked, almost politely. 'Kaylee? We need you up here in the engine room. Otherwise, we'll apparently crash, burn. And you know how mighty upset I get when there's the prospect of crashing and burning.' The was a sudden, deathly silence, then Kaylee spoke.

'Yeah, I know, Captain. I'm on it.' She said, as she climbed up the ladder, looking ruffled, and walked off into the engine room. The Captain turned to go back to the bridge when he heard a crash down in Kaylee's room, so he climbed down to investigate, and came across Simon putting on his trousers. There was an embarrassing silence, and Mal climbed back up and went back to the bridge. Jayne was standing over Jack with a bemused expression.

'What is that? Don't look like any Alliance ship I ever seen.' Jayne said, looking hard at the small, weirdly-shaped vessel that was floating many miles in front of them. An unearthly hum started to pulse around the ship.

'Oh, crap!' Jack said.

'What now?' Asked Mal.

'It's attacking!' He said.

'That ain't no attack. That's someone with a twisted idea of music, but that ain't no attack.' Jayne said. The humming grew louder, and Serenity began to shake. In the distance, an alliance scout was fast approaching the other ship. Then it exploded.

'What the gorram Hell was that?' Mal shouted.

'The consequences of an attack.' Jack replied, matter-of-factly. Suddenly, the lights dimmed and the engine stopped, along with the humming. Mal turned to Jack.

'Now if I'm not mistaken, you've got some explaining to do.' Mal told him.

'You wouldn't believe me if I told you.' Jack said.

'Try me.'

* * *

It was like a family photo. Mal was sitting at the head of the table, like the proud father; Inara, at his side, the doting mother; Zoe, with her eight year-old son Hoban sitting beside her, the aunt and nephew; Jayne, the uncle, sitting in his usual uncaring manner with his woolly hat; Simon and Kaylee, the son and his wife, with the seven year-old twins, Miranda and David; River, the daughter, sitting next to Simon, yawning. You had to look hard to see Mal's anger with the man at the other end of the table, Jack, the stranger into their life. Mal sighed. It had been nearly nine years since he'd had this much trouble. Nine years since the incident on Miranda. He had argued with Kaylee and Simon about calling their daughter Miranda, but their resolve was final. They wanted to call her Miranda for two very good reasons: A - It was a pretty name. B - They felt it was a final tribute to the people of Miranda, who they told the universe about. They thought it had a sense of finality about it. He'd thought Hogan, as beautiful and as bouncing as a little baby boy could have been, would have been the last. He knew he'd been kidding himself, with Kaylee and Simon in love and all. They got married about two and a half years after Miranda. Malcomn Reynolds had hoped that the peace would last. For the kids' sakes, at least. But then again, it had lasted nearly nine years. Mal knew from experience, howerver, that you could only have so much peace in your life, and the lives of others, before God went about presenting a bill for all that happiness. With interest.

'Well, Jack,' Mal said, 'Why don't you begin.' Jack cleared his throat.

'Captain, may I have a word in private?' Mal nodded and went over with Jack to the hallway.

'Captain, I don't think I should be discussing this in front of the children. It could give them nightmares.' He said.

'Okay, I'll go speak to them.' Mal walked back to the table. 'Hey kids, we're gonna have some adult talk here, so if you wouldn't mind runnin' along?' The kids turned to their respective parents, and with an encouraging nod, the three children left the kitchen.

'About four hundred years ago, there was-' Jack began.

'Four hundred years? What does that have to do with anything?' Mal asked incredulously.

'My dear Mal, it has everything to do with it.' Jack told him, before beginning again. 'As I was saying, about four hundred years ago, there was a scientist who experimented with gene therapy and DNA. He discovered, through three decades of trial and error, that he could make humans more accurate by removing cell deterioration of the eye; that he could make lungs recycle oxygen without breathing; that he could make skin into a Kevlar-like material, and make bones unbreakable. After many years of toil, he managed to create the formula for a very literal super-soldier. His most important breath through came near the end of his research, when he modified the cell regeneration rate in the human body to such a point, that he could make someone immortal. He then proceeded to transform himself. Stronger, faster, deadlier, immortal. After a while, he realised that nothing could stop him. He raged through cities, taking what he needed. But soon, he became bored with his life. He wanted to die, and by God, did he try. He stabbed himself, threw himself in front of trains and off buildings. He stood in the flame of a rocket, tied a bomb to his chest, even tried swallowing a grenade. Nothing worked. He lived. After a while, he went insane. He went into populated areas and massacred citizens. Nothing stood in his path. He called himself the Traveller, and everywhere he went, he left death and chaos in his wake. We managed, after many decades, to trap him, dig a hole two hundred metres deep and throw him down. After that, we covered it with cement.' There was silence. Mal decided to speak.

'Well, that's a pretty nice story you got there, but what does it have to do with you being here?' He asked. The rest of the crew turned from Mal to Jack, awaiting an answer.

'Two years ago, he appeared on the satellite moon Regan. Ten thousand were dead before we knew what was happening, and when we arrived, he had already left. I say "we", because I lead a crack team of soldiers working for a government initiative known as ATLAS. We deal with very serious threats. So-' Mal interrupted.

'Hold up. Does this mean you're an…Operative?' Jayne asked, carefully. Mal stared at him and there was the sound of a pistol being cocked. Jack smirked.

'Yes, I heard all about your incident with Miranda. It was very interesting reading, I'll grant you that. I am an Operative of sorts. But I am, in fact, far superior in every way to any of the Alliance's soldiers.' Mal put back his pistol, keeping one eye warily on Jack.

'What was that ship back there?' He asked Jack. Everyone looked round at Jack, waiting for an answer. He hesitated, and looked uncertain.

'I…I don't know. They started appearing around the same time he did. It freaks me out. They do something to other ships, and they travel as fast as some of our fastest. That's not the worst, though.' The whole group bent inwards, intent on hearing. 'They appear out of nowhere, scan a planet, then disappear. Not just run, just…disappear. I didn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes.' He shivered. 'We came back the next day. We had left a prosperous central planet. We came back to a mixture of burning forests, boiling seas and rotting, burnt-out bodies. We didn't know what did it, but they were all…gone. Dead. Not a square centimetre of land left that wasn't charred. Everyone, everything dead.' The table had gone deadly silent. They were staring in horror at Jack. Jack sniffed. 'Bodies. Everywhere. No sign of what had done it, just death. No oxygen, no atmosphere, just death, burnt.' A tear appeared in his eye. 'We found something. A recording. It said that a ship, a gigantic ship had appeared overhead. Not Alliance, Independence, Reavers or anyone they knew. It was odd and all. Then, there was a bang. Boom. Screaming. Fire, spreading. Unstoppable. Explosion. Death, dying. Then it shorted out.' The room was deadly silent. Kaylee was crying into Simon's shoulder. Zoe, Mal and Jayne were just staring at him, mouths open.

'This Traveller fella seems to be causin' a lot of unnecessary trouble, now.' Mal said, after a period. 'I don't think we could be helping you out, killin' the Traveller and all that.' Jayne shrugged.

'Sounds like a challenge to me. Jus' load up Vera and introduce her to this Traveller fella.' He said. Jack chuckled. Louder. Finally, he burst out laughing, and went on for about a minute. After that, he wiped the tears from his eyes and looked into Jayne's. He stopped laughing.

'You can't be serious.' Jack said.

'Oh, but he is always serious.' Mal said. Jack looked at both of them for a long time before speaking.

'Let me show you something. Wait here.' He said and walked out to his room. When he came back he was carrying a large, ominous bag. 'You see,' Jack said as he plonked the bag down on the table, 'My clearance allows me to have the best weapons known to man. One of the chief candidates for that title is this.' With that, he unzipped the bag and pulled out a weapon as big as the bag itself.

'Oh, good gorram.' Jayne said.

'What IS it!' Kaylee asked.

'This,' Jack told them, clearly enjoying himself, 'Is the Paragon cannon. A small version for individual infantry. It fires continuous beams of energy, which have the same effect as being struck by a lightning bolt every thousandth of a second for a near-limitless period. It could put a hole clean through this ship, and kill everything on board in little over a second.' Jayne stared at it, wide eyed.

'What's your point?' Mal asked.

'These are the best weapons in the galaxy for foot-soldiers. The Traveller barely gets a scratch.' There was a silence.

'River, how did you know that?'

'Flowing through your head, a stream of song, wretched, deadly song. Such sadness. You cram hankies into your ears, blocking the screaming. It never works.' Jack stared at her. There was silence. Mal cleared his throat.

'We'll discuss this in the morning. Right now, I think we all need some sleep.' Mal said. Jack kept looking at River as they walked out. She looked over at him right before she left.

'You couldn't have saved them. You know it.' And with that, River went to bed.

* * *

Author's note: I know I throw you right into the story, but I'll explain later. Probably. 


	2. Waking Up

Night-time. A time of rest. Not in Kaylee's room. Simon and Kaylee, lying there, naked under the covers of her bed. Kaylee lying there, in his arms. Exhausted, but loving. Kissing. Lying there, copulating. He loved her. She loved him. Kiss. Miranda and David, in their room, fast asleep. Mal, lying awake, pondering the amazing. Thinking about Inara. She had lost her voice for a time, a nasty bug she said. So she hadn't said anything at the table last night, but he could see it in her eyes. Fear of this thing. Of the Traveller. Of Jack. Jayne, lying awake, thinking, primarily, about the gun Jack had. Awesome. Zoe, asleep with Hoban next to her. She hugged him tighter. She felt a part of her husband in him. Stretching beyond the grave. River felt everything. She tried harder. Jack. Jack's mind was like a vault. Amazing. She managed to sneak a glance. Hmm. Atlas. Implants. Evolution. Orca. Paladin cannon. Spectre. Dark Legion. ATLAS. Wife…Team. Love. Something was wrong, though. These were just scrapings of emotions, left behind. No. River squirmed. He wasn't in his room. Where was he?

* * *

Jack stroked the engine cover. He admired it. It felt old, but new. Not as good as an Orca, but good none-the-less. She had a certain elegance about her.

'She's a beauty, ain't she just?' Jack turned. Kaylee was in the doorway, dressed up in her flowery dressing gown. 'She's lasted me over ten years, now. Beautiful thing.' She told him, running her hand over the machine. Jack looked at her and wondered. Maybe. Just maybe.

'You really like ships, don't you?' Kaylee nodded.

'Since I was little, always loving these ships. Beautiful ships. Serenity's old, but that don't mean she ain't pretty.' She said with longing.

'You know, ATLAS had some fine ships.' Kaylee looked over at him.

'Really?' She said.

'Oh, yes.' He said. He told her. He told her of the Orca Mercury, the Pegasus battleship, the Radiant, the Core. She stared at him in adoration.

'Wow. Will we ever see them?'

'Sure you will, kid. Now, go see your husband. I believe he's getting up around now.' As Kaylee ran off, Jack felt River probing his mind. He decided enough was enough.

'River. You have enough information. Revert.'

* * *

River woke up. The world was the same again. Her dream…nine years into the future…it was strange. She couldn't really remember anything, but it seemed important. Oh well. It might be useful later.

It was morning. Kaylee and Simon came to the kitchen in dressing gowns, looking flushed and holding hands. Zoe watched them enter.

'Long night?' Zoe asked. Kaylee chuckled.

'You could, ah, say that.' Simon replied, looking embarrassed. Jayne was staring at the two of them, a knowing smirk on his face. River saw him staring at them.

'Theirs was better than anything you've had.' She told him. There was a silence.

'Gorram reader.' Jayne said before storming out as Inara walked in.

'I take it you two had a wonderful night?' She asked the lovebird duo.

'It was definitely that.' Kaylee said, before kissing Simon. Zoe cleared her throat, looking over at the doorway. Mal was walking down from the bridge, with an air of importance. He stopped in the doorway, staring bug-eyed at Simon and Kaylee making out.

'Do you MIND!' He shouted at them. They quickly broke out of each others embrace, looking embarrassed.

'Oh, leave them alone, Mal. They're in love. Deal with it.' Inara scolded the Captain. The Captain opened and closed his mouth for a few seconds like a goldfish before he spoke.

'Anyway, important news, people. We're picking up a new crew member.' Everyone turned round to him. Jayne popped his head round the side of the door.

'We're doing what now?' He asked, dumbfounded.

'We're picking up a new guy.' Mal said. 'I've heard little about him, but what I've heard comes from the best, saying he's the best.' Zoe interrupted.

'That's it? That's his reference?' She asked incredulously.

'Like you wouldn't believe.' Mal said.

'Sir, that's because I don't. You're hiring this guy on what grounds exactly?' Zoe asked him.

'I have three reasons: A - He's new, so if we deal with any of our regulars, they won't know what to expect; B - Because those who do know him or of him are dead scared of him, and that would be valuable in bargaining; C - Because I'm Captain, and I say so.' Mal told her. Zoe still didn't look persuaded. 'Look, it'll be fine. Trust me.'

'When are we picking him up?' Simon asked.

'In eight hours.' Mal replied.

'Oh, good.' Kaylee said, before turning to Simon. 'Hey, come on, we have to get dressed,' She said, tugging on Simon's arm, before they both ran off down to Kaylee's room. Jayne stared after them both, a hungry expression in his eyes.

'I'll be in my bunk.' He said, before going off to fulfil his statement.

Zoe sighed. When the Captain wanted something, he got it.

'Do you at least know what his name is?' She asked. Mal thought for a second.

'Yeah. He said it was…Jack.'

Jack stepped off the train. He was carrying a large, black bag, a suitcase full of clothes, and a head full of duties. He was an indescribable man. He was someone who's features you wouldn't easily remember. He wore a crest on his jacket, had the impression of power. An aroma of death. He pulled a picture from his jacket pocket. It was a picture of a seventeen year-old girl. Below it, written in block capitals were the words

**RIVER TAM**

**PSYCHIC**

**DO NOT ENGAGE**


	3. Pranks and Love

As the Firefly-class ship Serenity landed on Persephone, Jack watched the ship with wary eyes. Where he was going, he needed to get to fast. So why did he chose this ship, he asked himself, walking along casually. Well, because of a psychic. River Tam. He didn't care about the fact that River and her brother Simon were still wanted fugitives, or that there was a substantial bounty on both their heads, River's being over thirty times larger than Simon's and a substantial increase in money if he captured both. So why was he interested in her? Because for what his mission entailed, he needed her. He needed a psychic. With that final thought, he picked up his bag, pocketed the photo, and sealed his mind.

* * *

River was worried. She had considered telling Simon about her dream, but he seemed rather busy with Kaylee. When he wasn't talking with her, laughing, holding her close, they were off in his room or maybe even in the engine room. River never asked what it was they did in there, but she read their minds, their feelings, bodies intertwining. There were also the noises, and being the super-genius Simon described her as, she put two and two together and decided that Simon was paying Kaylee back for all those months he ignored her advances to keep her safe. He thought it was so kind, the way Simon gave everything up to help her, but he really could be such a boob sometimes. Not now, though. Simon was happy, and making Kaylee happy. There was a climax, then the noises stopped. 

River waited for ten minutes, before walking in and stealing all their clothes. In a flash, River had an even better idea. She took the clothes, hiding them in Kaylee's room. Then she walked into Simon's room, and took all his clothes, hiding them in Kaylee's room as well. Next, she took as many hand towels as she could get, and walked up into the engine room. She stood over them, and thought if this might be going to far. She pushed that thought away, and with her eyes closed (She really want to observe any personal areas), took the blanket and placed the hand towels over them. When she was finished, she opened her eyes, stood back and admired her work. A work of genius. It would probably teach Simon a lesson about sex in reasonably public areas, but also, it would be a whole lot of fun. Then River rigged the doors so that they would create a loud, grating noise next time they opened, and waited for the fun to begin. River decided to sit at a position where she could easily see the engine room door. She waited for a couple of seconds, then the event unfold watched.

* * *

First, there was the whispering. She could hear them both whispering in panicked voices. 

'Where are all my clothes?' That was Simon.

'All your clothes? What about mine! Th…they're all gone!' Ah, Kaylee. This would probably end up more embarrassing for her, but they deserved it for not doing, well, 'it' somewhere more private. There was some silence, but only in the physical realm. In their heads, Simon was fuming, and Kaylee was panicking. Eventually, they came to the same conclusion. River.

'It was River, wasn't it?' Asked Kaylee.

'Yeah.' Said Simon. 'I think she's upset because she thinks I'm spending too much time with you.' Don't forget the boredom, River mentally added. After a minute, Simon mustered up the courage to say something. 'Hello?' Fortunately for them, someone was close by. Fortunately for River, it was Jayne. She couldn't have had more luck.

'What's all this ruckus?' He asked. River laughed silently. Simon and Kaylee had the same thought running through their heads.

Oh, God. Jayne.

'We appear to, er, have a little problem.' Simon said, haphazardly. River heard Jayne mentally putting two and two together. Door closed. No Simon to be seen. Embarrassment. In actual fact, if Jayne had tried to put two and two together, he would've gotten nine. It's the just a phrase. When the final pieces of the puzzle clicked (Again, it's just a phrase; Jayne can't do puzzles), Jayne smiled the malicious smile of a man about to make someone's life a misery, and was going to have a lot of fun in the process.

'Let me guess, your John Thomas ain't up to the task of satisfying Kaylee?' He asked.

'What!' Simon and Kaylee in twin voices of pure disbelief.

'It's okay lad, I know how you feel.' There was a pause for thought. 'Well, in actual fact I don't. All the ladies love Big Jonnie.' He said with a smirk. Inara walked up next to him.

'What's happening?' She asked hesitantly, knowledgeable to Jayne's usual endeavours, and so wary and rightly so, yet curious all the same.

'Our medic can't satisfy the needs of our here Kaylee.' He said with a smirk. Inara stared, open mouthed.

'No, that's not it at all…it's worse than that.' Simon told them.

'WORSE!' Jayne and Inara practically shouted. Jayne's malicious smile grew into an evil grin.

'Oh, this is good.' He said, rubbing his hands together. 'Zoe!' He shouted. 'Go get Mal! He's gotta come see this!' Zoe walked off to the bridge to see if she could get the good Captain to witness this rather interesting event.

'You're getting the Captain!' Kaylee nearly screamed at Jayne.

'Well, if the doc can't satisfy you in the bed, the Captain ought to know.' Jayne said, probing for the inevitable answer.

'If you must know, Simon satisfies me brilliantly in bed, thank you very much!' Kaylee shouted at him. 'Better than you ever would.' She added. Jayne stared at the door in shock and amazement.

'Well, ain't that somethin' special. Kaylee giving Jayne a sexual put down.' Said Mal as he walked out the kitchen doorway. 'Can you trump that, Jayne?'

'I…wah…I…' He gave up. 'Gorramit girl, that's an evil thing to say about a man.' Jayne said, clearly in a mood. Kaylee beamed.

'Look, this problem isn't actually about the…' Simon faltered. He didn't know how much they already knew.

'Sex.' Kaylee completed for him, holding his hand. River felt Simon gain confidence from this.

'Yes, alright, this isn't actually about the-' He started. Kaylee sighed.

'Truly mind-blowing sex.' Kaylee said, resting on him. Simon put his arm round her. Hugging her tight. The others just stared, gob smacked, at the door. Mal was the first one to react.

'I really didn't have to know that.' Mal said, realising he was going to have take their relationship a lot more seriously if he registered Kaylee's loving, compassionate tone correctly. Jayne bent close to Inara.

'Do you reckon he's paying her to do this?' He whispered.

'What,' Inara whispered back, 'paying her to sleep with him or to tell us he gives her truly mind-blowing sex?'

'Could be either of them.' Jayne thought for a second. 'Likely both.'

'So, really now,' Mal asked, 'What's the problem?'

'We believe River stole all our clothes.' Simon told him.

'Well, that's not too bad. You have a blanket in there, don't you? Just wrap it around yourselves.' Inara said.

'Well, there's the thing. She took that too.' He said, rather ashamedly. Jayne nearly split his sides trying to stop laughing.

'What did she do,' Jayne began, in between the laughter, 'replace it?' The silence told them all they needed to hear. Jayne stopped laughing. No matter how funny this was, the answer would be worth it.

'What with?' Jayne asked.

'Hand towels.' Kaylee said timidly. That did it. With a howl of laughter, Jayne let it all loose. He had to steady himself against a wall to stop himself toppling. There were tears running down her face. Mal and Inara couldn't help themselves. The laughter was contagious. After just a quiet giggle from Inara and a chuckle from Mal, they suddenly burst into throws of loud, incredible laughter. It was just too much. Inara fell down from all the laughing.

'Inara!' Kaylee shouted, clearly disappointed in the one person who she thought would sympathise.

'I'm sorry…Kaylee…just…so…' With that she went back into state of laughter.

'Come on Inara, surely you've been in situations this bad before!' Kaylee said, trying to reason with her. The three of them stopped laughing. Inara thought for a second.

'No!' She said, and the three of them burst into fits of laughter once more. Kaylee looked out the engine room porthole. There was Mal in the kitchen hallway, laughing his head off; Jayne was laughing and crying so much it hurt, and Inara was on the floor, trying to wipe away the tears with the hem of her dress. Zoe was the only one not laughing. Mal noticed it too.

'Don't you see the humour in this?' Mal asked her.

'Frankly, sir? No.' Zoe said. Mal stifled his laughter before continuing. His first mate seemed rather annoyed.

'Really? Why? I mean,' Here Mal, gracious as always, choked on his laughter, 'The young doc here and Kaylee being tricked by River…' He took a long look at her face and saw she wasn't kidding. 'Oh, fine. Go and spoil the fun.' Zoe walked over and knocked on the door.

'Sweetie? It's Zoe.' She said.

'Hiya.' Said Kaylee, sounding dishevelled, ashamed and defeated.

'Look, just try and cover yourself up as much as possible, okay?' Zoe told her. There was some towel rustling going on inside. While they were getting ready Zoe turned to Mal and silently asked him to turn towards the wall. Zoe looked down at Inara and asked the same. They both sighed, realising the fun was over, and turned around to look anywhere but at the two lovebirds, who had just appeared, looking flushed, sweaty and incredible embarrassed. Simon was holding two towels over his penis and buttocks, and Kaylee was holding them over her breasts and vagina. They ran for Kaylee's room., and as Kaylee went past Jayne he slapped Kaylee on the arse. Kaylee squealed and ran after her lover. At least that's how it should have gone. Zoe saw him attempting it, grabbed his wrist, and laid her fist into his jaw. He spun around, landing face down in front of the doorway to the passenger quarters. He blacked out for about a second, and by that time, Kaylee and Simon had disappeared.

'Didn't even get a good peek…' Jayne mumbled. Then his memory returned, with a good side-order of pain. 'Ow!' He said, rubbing his jaw. That hurt. Really hurt. 'Did she hit me?' Inara giggled.

'I'll say she did.' She said, rather enjoying the moment.

'Why'd she do that?' He asked, morality seeming to be not as important to him as outright pain and confusion.

'Ah, well, you deserved it.' Mal told him. Meanwhile, Zoe walked the Kaylee and Simon to Kaylee's room.

'Kaylee has a blanket down there. At the very least, Simon, you can cover yourself up more.'

'Thanks.' Simon said. Zoe turned away as Kaylee, then Simon disposed of the towels so that they could climb down the ladder into Kaylee's room. Afterwards, Zoe walked off to speak to the others. When she got there, the first one to speak was Jayne.

'Gorramit woman, what the Hell was that for?' He shouted, before she slammed him on the tabletop. When she spoke, she had rage in her voice.

'They were having an embarrassing time of it already, couldn't you see that? But no, Jayne has to make it that little bit worse.' Jayne was choking, Zoe was pressing so hard down on his neck.

'Gorramit, it was only a bit of fun-' It was immediately apparent to Jayne that that was the wrong thing to say when Zoe pressed even harder.

'Fun!' She said, pressing even harder, 'You sick, you depraved little man, you call embarrassing little girls fun!' She said, Jayne was really choking now. He could see lights flashing before his eyes.

'Get off me you psychopath!' He shouted, losing more breath the more Zoe held on. Mal saw Jayne turning purple and decided that enough was enough.

'Zoe, as fun as it is watching you choke Jayne and describe him, I really can't let you kill him.' He pondered the statement for a second. 'Well, not yet anyway.' After a few seconds, and what seemed like a lifetime for Jayne, Zoe let go. Jayne breathed in, coughing. When he was sure that Jayne was okay, he hoisted him up and pinned him against the table again.

'Gorramit!'

'Now you listen here, Jayne Cobb, I can see you teasin' the doctor and everything, him being all uptight and all that, but not Kaylee. She's a good girl,' Mal thought for a second, and had a deep and sudden respect for Kaylee, and how she had felt towards Simon and not been afraid or embarrassed to say it, and even though she didn't say the actual words, he knew by Kaylee's tone that she was in love with the young doctor. Huh, he thought. The medic and the mechanic sharing a bed, who would have thought. Gorram shipboard romances. Mal continued, 'And she's growing into a fine woman. You had no right to show her that kind of disrespect.' He looked around at Zoe and Inara. He knew Zoe felt it, she had felt it first, which most likely why she hadn't laughed 'til she cried like the others. He didn't know if Inara felt it, but since she dealt a lot with love, even if she never really got the chance to love, but then he saw it in her eyes, the joy that Kaylee and Simon were madly in love, and both regret and shame for having laughed at their misfortune. Mal looked back at Jayne. The big, dumb ape. This all failed to register with him. The only was he could relate to what Kaylee and Simon had was with whores (Meanwhile making the distinction that Inara definitely didn't fall into that category), no real love with a woman. It failed to permeate his peanut-sized lump of soggy grey goo that passed for a brain that Kaylee and Simon were having more than a fling, a lust-filled romp. He couldn't see that it was so much more. 'Now, listen here, Jayne. If I EVER see or hear of you treating Kaylee like she is some whore - yes, Inara,' He said, because he saw her looking at him, with annoyance flashing across her face, 'I know you're not a whore, and that's why we don't treat you as such -' He returned to Jayne, ', I will punch your lights out myself and throw you in the brig until I say otherwise. Do I make myself clear!' Everyone stared at him. It was Zoe who finally broke the silence.

'Sir?' Zoe said.

'What?' Mal asked, still furious from his rant.

'We don't have a brig.' Zoe told him. Mal stopped paused mid-fume.

'Well then, I'll lock you in your room until I say otherwise. You hear?' He thought for a second. 'And also, even though I myself poke fun at the doc because he doesn't fit in with our life, that doesn't mean he doesn't fit in with Kaylee's, so I'd prefer if you didn't tease him so much.' Oh Hell, he thought, just say it. 'Kaylee loves him, and Simon loves her, and I want Kaylee to see us making an effort to make him fit in. So,' He said with conviction, 'We clear?' It was a tense moment. Everyone was holding their breath. Finally, Jayne spoke his piece.

'We're clear.' He said. Mal wasn't finished thought.

'I'm sorry, we're clear what?' Mal said, the voice of authority pulsating through each and every syllable. Even so, Mal was holding his breath. He wasn't sure whether he'd pushed his luck.

'We're clear, Captain.' Jayne spat the last word, as if it were a repulsive bug that had crawled inside his mouth, and he was eager to rid himself of it.

'That's right. Now,' Mal began, rage burning through his last few words, 'Get out of my sight.' Jayne stood there for a second, possibly determining whether to spit at the Captain's feet to show his utter contempt for him or just plain lay into him. Fortunately for his own well-being, he thought again and stomped off to his room, mumbling Chinese curses that I cannot translate for legal purposes. When he'd left, Inara nodded towards the doorway, silently hinted for Mal to turn around. In the doorway was Kaylee, looking at him like a girl who had just seen her big brother defend her against someone bigger and stronger than him. She had tears in her eyes. For a split second, instinct kicked and he thought it was Simon who caused them, but looking closer, he saw that they were tears of joy. Kaylee was smiling.

'All that…you said about me and Simon…you meant it?' She asked, tears streaming down her face. Mal smiled.

'Every word.' She ran over and gave him a great big hug, crying tears of happiness into his stomach. Mal hugged her back. He looked down at her teary eyes, and she gave him a peck on the cheek.

'I love my Captain.' She said. Mal felt it. The raw emotion in this tiny girl, making her into a woman, was incredible. The love, the happiness, the joy that she had finally found someone for her, and that someone had found her. Mal nodded towards her room.

'Go be with Simon.' He said, and without another word, she ran off towards her room.

'Wow, Mal.' Said Inara. 'That was…beautiful.'

'Yeah, I know.' Mal turned to River, who had been sitting there, observing the events. 'You know, River, that was a mean trick that really got out of hand.' She looked slightly less amused with herself, but still smiling.

'I know. But then you wouldn't have finally admitted all that about Kaylee, and her relationship with Simon. Jayne wouldn't have been shown the error of his ways.' River said.

'I'm still not sure he has.' Mal said. River smiled mischievously.

'Also, before it got out of hand,' She began, 'It was funny, and quite cute.' For the first time that afternoon, Zoe laughed.

'It was slightly funny, I guess.' She laughed admittedly.

'Still, River, try not to go pulling any more tricks like that again,' Mal asked, 'Because I really don't want you upsetting those two now.'

'They kind of walked into it, sleeping together in the engine room like that.' River said. This procured a laugh from Mal.

'Yeah, I guess they did.' He stopped laughing. 'Still, they're in love. I don't think you should be disturbing them like that again. Not until they're well and truly settled, you know, as a couple. They should be happy.'

'Aw,' said Inara, 'That's so sweet, Mal.'

'They're not settled yet.' River said.

'Yeah, well I know that, but-' Mal began.

'Going at it like wild animals, going for an hour of passion, the love they share intertwining.' River told him. There saw silence.

'Kinda spoilt the moment, that.' Inara said.

'How many times have I told you, stop saying things like that!' He shouted at River. 'I really didn't need to know.'

'I know a part of you really did.' River said.

'Yeah, I guess you're right.' Mal said.

'Sir,' Zoe started, 'Not to interrupt your moment, but we said we'd meet Jack in about fifteen minutes. If we have any hope of, you know, all being ready to meet him…' Zoe eyed the room shared by Kaylee and Simon. Mal thought for a second. Jack was going to be a new member of the crew, the first new actually chosen crewman for ages. He was important, but Simon and Kaylee, their love, their passion, that was important too. He smiled a fatherly smile. He knew what was important.

'Tell him to wait an hour. We're a bit busy here.'

I did say it was just a second.

River smiled. As Zoe walked off to talk to Jack, he sensed heard the sounds of romance drifting from Kaylee's room, and as unaware he wanted to be about how their sexual conduct took place, he listened just for a few seconds, and smiled. The world felt right again.

* * *

Down in Kaylee's room, the two were going at it, both of them happier than words could describe. They stopped. Kaylee cried, and Simon wiped the tears away, kissing her forehead, holding her head to his chest. When he let go, she looked at him with such feeling, he felt he was going to cry as well. She sniffed. It was the happiest he'd ever seen her. 

'I love you, Simon.' She said. He stared up at her, and saw, in that instant, that this was a girl, no, a woman, he could spend the rest of his life with. He brushed the hair out of her eyes, and wiped the tears off her face.

'I love you, Kaylee.' With that, they launched into a kiss, so passionate, so loving, so emotional, Simon felt tears streaming down his face and he realised that they weren't Kaylee's, they were his. He felt her warm, naked body with him, intertwined, two people truly, and utterly in love. When they finally broke the kiss, Simon knew, just knew, that Kaylee felt the same way about him. She began stroking his chest.

'Now, where were we?' She said, before-

Well, let's just say they had a wonderful afternoon.

* * *

Jack stood outside. It was the winter season. The rain seemed to drench him to his very soul, and the cold appeared to feel left out, so it launched a windy assault from all directions. But Jack didn't care. The elements meant nothing to a man who knew, truly knew who and what he was. Jack knew, and he knew his purpose. He pulled a vid-photo out of his jacket pocket. It was of a man, a woman and a boy. A family. They were in a park, having a picnic, the boy learning how to play football. On closer inspection, the man in photo looked like Jack with longer hair. He stared at the photo for a good long while, before replacing it in his jacket pocket. He looked at the ship, Serenity, watching the rain and wind attack it to no avail, and wondered. He wondered if they what they felt. He wondered how they would react. He wondered about the raw emotion that seemed to emanate from the ship. He wondered if they knew who they were, or what they were. Lastly, he wondered if they knew what their purpose was. 

Because he knew.


	4. Business

Jack had methods. Methods of doing things. Things that had to be done. What people failed to realise is that theses things would be done, whether they liked it or not. So was Jack's thought process as he walked into the blacksmiths. A big, heavy set man was standing at the office door, totting a sub-machine gun. He looked like he meant business. 

'What chew want?' The man said, clearly unimpressed with Jack.

'I'm here to see Mr. Tyson.' Jack said. The man smiled.

'He's not in.' The goon told him. Jack observed the man. He clearly looked the type for enjoying random violence, but didn't look overly smart.

'Sure he is.' Jack told him. 'Tell him Mr. Forrester is here to see him.' The goon eyed him cautiously for a second, before speaking in rapid Chinese through the radio attached to his ear. Good man, thought Jack. After a minute, the goon had moved aside to let Jack enter. Jack walked through the door into an office considerably more comfortable than the blacksmiths before it. Jack sat down, waiting for Mr. Tyson to finish going through his paperwork. He looked up and saw Jack.

'Ah, Mr. Forrester. Wonderful to see you.' He said. Mr. Tyson was an old man, quite timid but had an air of majesty, of control and power.

'Same here, Mr. Tyson. Is it ready?' Jack asked.

'Erm, yes, the, er, item you asked for is ready.' Mr. Tyson said. 'Actually, we finished it just this morning.' He added, proudly.

'Indeed.' Jack said, his tone implying that he was in a hurry. Unfortunately, Mr. Tyson was tone deaf.

'We had to, hmm, custom parts off world.' He said, clearly not noticing Jack's urgency. 'I didn't know what it would do, but I did some research, and-' Jack sighed.

'You inquired what the item was in fact for?' Jack asked, quite annoyed.

'Erm, ah, yes.' Mr. Tyson answered, concern flashing across his face. 'Why, is that, a, hmm, problem?' He asked.

'Oh, no Mr. Tyson.' Jack asked. This would have to be dealt with.

'Myself, I can't see what you'd want one of these for, I mean-' He began, but Jack interrupted again.

'Can I have the item, Mr. Tyson?' He asked impatiently.

'Oh yes, of course.' He said, reaching below his desk and bringing up a large black bag. Jack opened it up and looked inside.

'Everything appears to check out.' He said, before looking around the room. 'Say, Mr. Tyson, have you had this room soundproofed?' Mr. Tyson looked up, slightly puzzled.

'Hmm, yes, I had it soundproofed so that my competitors couldn't steal my ideas.' He said, before saying proudly. 'I'm always one step ahead.'

'Yes, quite.' Jack said. He pulled out a thin rod out of his pocket. 'May I show you this?' Mr. Tyson lent over to have a closer look.

'Hmm, ah, what is it?' He said, looking at it with interest. It was quite thin, and about the width of Jack's hand. He looked up at Jack. 'Is it broken?' He asked. Jack smiled as the ends extended.

'No, Mr. Tyson. In fact, it works perfectly.'

* * *

The crew had gathered inside the hold to meet the Jack. Mal had left the front door open so that Inara could go and fetch whatever she needed. Mal was dressed in his traditional browncoat, with Zoe, his first mate at his side. While Mal kept his trusty revolver in its holster, Zoe was carrying her favourite rifle. Though she trusted the Captain, she didn't completely trust this new guy, Jack. Jayne was standing far away from Mal as possible. He remembered the situation an hour ago, and wasn't keen to give him a chance to repeat it. Mal looked around, impatient.

'River, are the doc and Kaylee…you know…' He began.

'Having sex, Sir?' Zoe finished. Mal blushed.

'Yeah. That.' Mal said, not really wanting to think about it any more than he had to already. River stared in the direction of Kaylee's room for about two minutes.

'Yeah, they're done.' She said, smiling.

Simon was breathing heavily as Kaylee slid off him and back onto the bed.

'That was…' He said, words escaping him. Kaylee gave him a huge hug.

'Wonderful.' She said, and truly meant it. Simon hugged her back, holding her close, before giving her a kiss on the forehead.

'When you went upstairs, what happened?' He asked. While Kaylee had been upstairs, listening, he had been sorting through stuff that River had hidden, finding his things. When she came down, she had tears in her eyes. Before he asked what the matter was she gave him a kiss that literally knocked him off his feet and onto the bed. She nearly tore her clothes, she was in such a hurry to remove them. Simon, fortunately, was still as naked as the day he was born. When Kaylee had taken everything off, he held her to him, the two of them intertwining, becoming one. Simon sighed happily. A couple of months ago, he wouldn't have dreamt of this happening. Well, he reasoned, he might have dreamt it but never thought of it as a reality. Simon came back to the present when Kaylee gave him another kiss. They were still one. Afterwards, Kaylee told him what the Captain and Zoe had said to Jayne. Simon held Kaylee even closer, kissing her gently, then with passion. She smiled. She was happy. 'I love you, Kaylee.' She looked up at him.

'I love you, Simon.' She said. They held each other, not daring to let go, when suddenly Mal's voice broke over the com.

'Kaylee! Doc! Get dressed and get to the hold, Jack's gonna be here in about five minutes!' He shouted down. Simon smiled at Kaylee.

'Time to go.' Simon admitted. She hugged him close.

'Yeah, guess so.' She said, giving him one last passionate kiss, before breaking free of their loving hold, getting out of the bed and looking for her clothes.

Seven minutes later, Kaylee and Simon arrived, holding hands, and smiling. Jayne stared at them.

'Look at you two, been rutting like-' He began but Mal cast him an angry look before he stopped.

'It's shiny, Captain,' Kaylee said. She said, giving Simon a quick kiss on the lips. 'The big ape's just jealous.'

'Well, just look at them. They're so sweaty, I could make soup from their first ten minutes.' Jayne said, annoyed.

'Jayne!' Mal shouted.

'Still shiny, Captain.' Kaylee said, smiling broadly.

'Death comes to all.' River said. Everyone stared at her. Simon looked worried.

'River? What's-' He began. River started to shout.

'Death comes. Screaming. The screaming, torture, maim, maim, death!' She shouted. Simon was seriously afraid now. He went over to River and hugged her tight.

'River! It's okay, it's okay, I'm here. I'm here.' He started shushing her until she calmed down, then he let go. Her gaze shifted, looking right over his shoulder. She looked more afraid than she had ever been.

'The bringer of death walks through the valley.' She said, staring over his shoulder at the airlock door. 'He comes.' With that, she ran away. Mal stared at the airlock. There was definitely someone there. He pressed a button and it opened to reveal…a man. Cleary soaked to the skin, wearing a jacket, and carrying a big black bag. The man smiled.

'Howdy. I'm Jack.'


	5. Diaries

Dear Diary, 

No, that's just gorram crap. If I'm gonna keep a journal, it ain't gonna be like that, all girly and soppy.

Captain's Log A00000001A

Much better. More…traditional.

The meeting with Jack had gone quite well, if not for River's random comments and Zoe's reluctance to trust Jack. I don't completely trust Jack myself, my main reason being his refusal to open his bag. He claimed it contained 'personal items' (That doesn't matter anyway. It's locked in River's room. Let's see him get past her). Yet even so, there's something…uncanny about him. He was like River, approached from a different direction. I just couldn't put his finger on it, but there was definitely something not quite right about that man.

'Sir, it's not that I don't trust your judgement, I just don't trust him.' Zoe told me. We were on the bridge, talking in private. When we walked in, I mentally checked the room for bugs. I saw Zoe doing the same thing.

'I know what you mean.' I said. 'I don't think he's telling us everything.'

'Why not get River to read him?' Zoe asked. That was a good question. I told her so. I also told her that I'd asked her to do it earlier, but she could only pick up permanent emotions, no thoughts. To her, the man's mind was a vault. What worried me was that she didn't want to look into it further. She told me that she felt that Jack had gone through some huge emotional trauma, and that he'd been different ever since. She wasn't telling me everything either, and I knew it. I decided not to probe into it further…ew. I had a bad thought, there. Anyway, I told all this to Zoe. She nodded along, understanding. Once I'd finished, she asked something that seemed to be bugging her about my story. 'Why don't you think she told you everything?'

'I think she had a rough idea of what happened to Jack.' I told her. 'It just seemed that she knew more than she was saying.' Zoe was looking at me strangely. 'Call it Captain's intuition.' I told her. Great line, that. Zoe was clearly thinking of calling it something else, when Jayne ran in.

'Have you seen Simon?' Jayne asked. I looked at Zoe, puzzled. Apparently, so was she. I mean, come on, Jayne? Looking for Simon? I was curious.

'No, not since the meeting. Why?' I asked him.

'Something's happened to River.' I stood still for a nano-second before I ran with Zoe to find Simon.

* * *

Dear Diary,

Such a lovely afternoon here on Serenity. A new guy in our life (Crew wise S), and some loooovely love sessions with Simon. Oh, it was wonderful. Jayne poked fun, but, as Simon Says (D), the big man-ape-gone-wrong-thing's just jealous of us. Mmm. Oh, yeah. Sorry, Simon's trying to give me a kiss here. I want to write, but I want to kiss, you know what I mean?

That's got rid of him. I told him I just needed to write this. Anyhoo, I was working on the engine's combustor unit ('cos, you know, it was broken because the turbine accelerator had snapped off, impaling itself next to the mechanic's head O), when I heard Jayne and Zoe runnin' round looking for Simon. I asked why, they said River 'ad been hurt. Anyway, I ran out to River, and there she was, lying there, staring at the ceiling, mumblin' away.. I saw that new fella, Jack (Hot in a soldier-rugged sorta way, you know? I ain't gonna be givin' up my Simon, my lover, not now, not ever, not for no man, no matter how hot he may be, cause, you know, Simon's my man, and I love him and all), got out of his room and started asking about River, and then we found Simon in the infirmary, cleaning up. It broke my heart to see his reaction when he heard that River was hurt. He really cares for her, he does. He ran up the stairs to the kitchen, an' I ran with him, we had to make sure she was shiny. When we got to the kitchen, there she was, sitting upright. Simon hugged her, looked her over. She must've been pretty weak, because he asked Mal to pick River up and take her to her room. We followed (Me and Simon) while the others talked about what they thought might be wrong with her.

* * *

Thursday

Made pretty boy Simon embarrassed.  
Tried to slap Kaylee's pretty little butt cheek.  
Slugged by Zoe.  
Fought with Zoe and Mal.  
Met Jack. Don't trust him.  
Cleaned Vera. Shiny.  
River hurt.  
Talking about why.  
Kaylee and Simon. In Love.  
Our Kaylee? With him?  
Polished Vera. Shiny.  
Tried to get into Jack's bag.  
Got Electrocuted.  
Still not Captain.

* * *

Thursday/DATE+TIME AWAITING VERIFICATION

Today was a mixed day. On the one hand, River played a horrible practical joke on me and Kaylee (Poor thing, River didn't need to make Kaylee embarrassed), and Jayne was still his trained man-ape-gone-wrong thing. Of course, without the training. On the other hand, we met an interesting new crew member, Jack, I can see that Kaylee thinks that he's handsome, but she confided with me that "She'd never leave me, not for no man", and we made sweet, beautiful love. Twice. Oh, it was beautiful. The first time, it was just passion, but the second time, when Kaylee was crying with happiness, it wasn't about passion, or lust, or desire, but love. True love. Hmm. I tried giving her a kiss earlier, but she said I could wait, she wanted to write in her diary, the little tease. I know she'll make it up to me later.

Then, there was the incident with River. She was doing so well, then she apparently just collapsed. My sister, killer of Reavers, collapsing. It was unthinkable. I checked her over, but she was okay. I got Mal to bring her down to her room, Kaylee following with me. She was clearly as shocked as I was. We laid River down on her bed, and I felt her pulse. Normal. I felt her head, that was normal too. I looked at her, and asked what was wrong.  
She had gone a bit crazy earlier, but now she, well, I never expected anything like this.

* * *

Diary.

What a thing.

Something.

Records.

Simon gave me it. It was red. I wanted pink. Boob. Got a pink one for Kaylee. Captain asked for no more tricks. Still, can't hurt.

Hurt when I probed his mind. The dream, still engraved into my head. I felt Jack before he arrived. Anger. Hate. Screaming. So much screaming.

The Captain asked me about this. I told him about what I'd felt. Not the dream. He'd never understand the dream. Not now.

I was interested. Jack's mind is a vault. A big, red, vault of fire but a vault nonetheless. I believe that I can crack his vault in enough time. I tried. Flames. Burnt. Fire. Pain. I remember falling over, and waking up in my room, the Captain, Simon and his lady, Kaylee. So sweet together. A family. I told them what happened. I told them about my conversation with the Captain. My head still hurt. He advised I get some sleep.

But I decided to write in this instead. No sleep yet. Images searing across my brain, from the vault. It hurts. Make it stop.

I searched Simon's room. He has some Earth-That-Was music. A musical compact disc. So thin, fragile. Careful not to break it. So little information inside. No pictures. Just music. (What's The Story) Morning Glory? by Oasis. Odd. He also has a CD player. Simon prefers most Earth-That-Was music to modern music. I played it. His favourite track is She's Electric.

He can be such a boob.

* * *

MISSION LOG 0982098A1232KJIOM23

Why.  
WHY WHAT Why do you torment me so.  
YOU KNOW WHY Leave me in peace, demon.  
DEMON IS THAT WHAT YOU THINK OF ME Yes. I dreamt you up, out of fear, you won't leave me alone.  
I NEED YOU Well, I don't need you.  
JACK JACK DONT YOU UNDERSTAND Understand what?  
I CONTROL YOU No you don't.  
WHY DO YOU THINK YOU WRITE LIKE THIS How?  
YOU THEN ME THEN YOU THEN ME I don't know.  
WE ARE ONE WE ARE THE SAME YOU COULDNT DESTROY ME NOT THEN NOT NOW POWER GROWING ALWAYS GROWING FEAR GROWS HOPE DIES WE ARE ONE WE are not the same!  
Go! Vile d I AM NOT A DEMON I AM YOU Go! I have done your retched will. I brought you upon this vessel. Please. Go.  
WHY SO YOU CAN STOP THIS Why did you kill that man?  
WHAT Why did you kill him?  
HE ASKED QUESTIONS He was innocent!  
NO ONE IS INNOCENT YOU HAVE PROVED THAT YOU HAVE SAVED LIVES BUT YOU HAVE ME IF HE WAS SO INNOCENT WHY WAS HIS ROOM SOUNDPROOFED To keep ideas from his rivals! That's what he told LIES HE TOLD LIES PEOPLE ARE NOT INNOCENT BUT WE SHALL MAKE THEM You want to kill them KILL PURGE THE SINFUL HERETICS DIE ALL DIE BURN SINGE Stop!  
YOU COULDNT HAVE SAVED THEM I could have. You were too strong.  
I AM STONG I AM FEAR That's it. Torment me no longer. Do your worst.  
MY WORST YOU KNOW WHAT MY WORST IS YOUVE SEEN IT AND I SHALL DO IT THAT IS YOUR WISH No. God, NO GOD NO ANYTHING CAN STOP ME YOU KNOW THIS Why are you with me? What did I do to deserve this?  
YOU DIDNT DO IT THIS IS REVENGE THE TOOK THE LIVES OF BILLIONS IN THE WARS THEY SENT THEM TO DEAL WITH AN UNDEFEATABLE ENEMY LIKE ME You know, the Traveller will stop you.  
NOT BEFORE ITS TOO LATE ATLAS SHALL SERVE ITS PURPOSE AND THE WORLD SHALL SEE THE WHOLE UNIVERSE SHALL BE PURGED OF THEIR EVILS THERE WILL BE LIGHT I WILL CONTROL THE PURGING LIGHT THE CANDLELIGHT OF GOD AND NONE SHALL SMOTHER IT


	6. Knowledge

Simon and Kaylee were asleep after their night of passion in the engine room. Simon was hugging Kaylee protectively, and Kaylee was smiling the smile of someone in the prime of their life and enjoying it. Everyone on board was asleep. Everyone…except Jack. He was standing in the engine room doorway, listening to the sounds; the spin of the engine, the buzz of power, the soft, sleepy breathing of Simon and Kaylee. Jack walked in, and opened the engine compartment. He put down his bag, and unzipped it, taking out the item inside. He waited until the right moment, before grabbing the engine. It had already been moving slowly, saving power while they slept. There was a sound of resistance, before the engine stopped. He looked back at the two lovers, still soundly asleep. His face emotionless, he impaled the engine with the item, hiding it from view. Jack watched, expressionless, as the engine started up again. When he was sure it had worked, Jack walked back to his room. 

River looked over from the bridge. No one was awake. Strange. She'd felt something moving around. Oh well, she thought, she wanted the surprise ready by morning. With that happy thought, she got back to work.

* * *

Simon yawned. Kaylee was standing over by the engine with her ear against it. He puzzled. She didn't usually do that unless something was horribly wrong. He wrapped the blanket around himself, and walked over. When he got behind her, he wrapped the blanket around her, too. Kaylee's body was warm next to his. 

'What's wrong, my little mechanic?' He asked, after giving her a morning kiss. How it differs from normal kisses, I've never been quite sure. Maybe because it's in the morning. Just maybe. Kaylee hugged him before answering.

'Hmm, I don't know. Serenity's acting up again.' She said, snuggling in close to him. 'Probably nothing.'

'Well, check it out later. Could be something.' Simon told her. She laughed.

'Yes, boss!' She said playfully. Simon grinned.

'How about a kiss from my favourite employee.' He said. She pouted.

'I'm not an employee. I don't get paid for what I do.' She said, teasing him.

'Fine. Volunteer. Whatever. Just kiss me.' He said, before Kaylee granted his wish.

* * *

Mal woke with a headache. He didn't know why, he just had one. It was a morning thing. So when the com screamed a high pitched static note, he had just about enough. He had to have a chat with River about this. Suddenly, the it stopped and was replaced with music. Mal sighed. What was that girl doing?

* * *

"She's Electric, she's in a family full of eccentrics-" As people made their way to the bridge, tired, confused, and mostly half-naked, River stood back to admire her handy work. Simon was the first one to the bridge, Kaylee right behind them, both wearing dressing gowns. Simon stared at River's creation. She had affixed his CD player to the bridge, and rewired the com system to accept it as a channel. She looked up at him. "She's got a sister, God only knows how I missed her." The Gallaghers droned on. Jayne, on the other hand, was more interested in Kaylee's shockingly pink dressing gown with added floral design. 

'River?' Mal asked, after a good long mental rant, 'Could you explain?' He had good reason for one. Wires dangled from the ceiling, the co-pilot and pilot terminals had been ripped open and extensively rewired. There were a few new screens. It was worrying.

'Thought we could use some music.' She said. 'Why, don't you like it?' Simon smiled.

'Just my style.' He said, taking Kaylee's arm in his and walked off to the kitchen. Mal sighed and followed them. Sometimes, he just couldn't control his crew.

* * *

Jack woke up. He felt tired.  
'GOOD MORNING' Jack blinked. It seemed…cheerful. This worried him to no end. 

'What have you done?'

'ME YOU MEAN YOU WHAT HAVE YOU DONE' Jack understood.

'You took control-'

'DURING THE NIGHT YES'

'Why?'

'THINGS NEEDED TO BE DONE'

'I asked you why!'

'DIVINE POWER WAITS FOR NO MAN'

'Well, I'll just stay here then.'

'JACK JACK WE BOTH KNOW WE ARE MUCH MUCH MORE THAN JUST MEN' Jack reached for his bedside table. They weren't there. 'I GOT RID OF THAT LITTLE PROBLEM'

'Why are you doing this to me!'

'THE PEOPLE OF THIS UNIVERSE DO NOT BELIEVE IN THEIR GODS THEY SEE THEMSELVES AS GODS BUT I NO WE SHALL MAKE THEM SEE'

'You're insane.'

'BUT I AM YOU YOU ARE ME DO NOT DENY THE TRUTH NOW LET GO JACK YOUR TIME IS OVER' Jack tried to scream, but the sound never reached his mouth. He fell back on his bed, watching the shadows, closing in, feeling the vulnerability, the fear growing. He started to cry.

'Leave me in peace, demon!'

'JACK MY LAD TIME FOR SLEEP' Jack shook violently, as if having a fit. His muscles bulged, he drooled, his eyes spinning. Without warning, he stopped, and got up, and walked out the room.

'TIME TO WAKE UP'

* * *

Mal ate his breakfast, actually quite pleased with the morning's events. For starters, no one had been injured, always a good sign. Also, even though River had ripped apart and put back together near enough the entire bridge, the Earth-That-Was music was actually quite good. He liked Wonderwall. Mal stopped eating suddenly. He'd someone walking along the corridor. Turning around, he saw no one. Just my imagination, he thought. 

'And all the roads that lead you there are winding…' He sung to himself.

* * *

Rive slowly walked into Jack's room. If she was going to find out anything about him, she needed to search here first. She looked in the drawers. Nothing of interest. A strange insignia on his jacket, a strong, muscular man holding up - River tilted her head for a better look - the Earth, and above that were three flags. Huh, she thought. How odd. She tried looking under the bed. Nothing. She looked in the sink. Nothing. In the toilet. Ew. And also, no- Hold on, hold on. She tried pulling the handle. Nothing. It was blocked. She got the plunger and started bring it back up. Eventually, something came. A small plastic container and some toilet paper. She hesitantly picked up the container and looked at the label, clear as day even though it had just gone through toilet. River stared at it, and slowly realised what it was. Without a seconds thought of searching the room more, River ran to Simon.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kaylee was sitting on Simon's lap in the Engine room.. They were singing. 

'-There's no time for running away now, hey now, hey now!' They laughed, and had a quick kiss.

'I can't believe you never played this to me.' Kaylee told him, pouting.

'I didn't know if you'd like it or if thought I was weird for liking the old stuff.' He said. They were about to kiss again, when River ran in. Simon was embarrassed. 'River, what have I told you about running in on me and Kaylee?' Kaylee laughed and kissed him anyway.

'Oh, leave her alone.' Kaylee said laughing. River interrupted their happy moment.

'Simon, you have to look at this!' She said, showing his the plastic container that she'd made sure to clean. River knew Simon wouldn't like it if she gave him a container that had just been in the loo. He took it from her, looking it over.

'River,' He asked apprehensively, 'Where did you find this?'

'Jack's room.' She told him. 'It was already empty.' Simon turned it over and read the label. His eyes widened in horror.

'Clozapine. Oh, Christ.' He said. Kaylee looked at him oddly.

'Simon? What's wrong?' She asked.

'Kaylee, I need you to go and find Mal and the others. Hurry!' She hopped off his lap and went off. Before she left, he grabbed her arm. 'Kaylee, stay clear of Jack. You see him, you run, okay?' Kaylee nodded. Simon gave her a big hug. 'Be careful.'

* * *

Eight minutes later, the crew bar Jack were sitting in the Kitchen. Simon locked all doors leading into the kitchen, looking through the portholes for him. Mal watched him, annoyed. 

'What's this all a-' He began before Simon interrupted.

'Have any of you made contact with Jack today?' He asked.

'No,' said Mal, 'I don't think so. Why?' Simon put the container down in the middle of the table.

'River found this in his toilet when she was searching his room.' Mal stared at it.

'What is it?' He asked.

'Clozapine.' Simon told him.

'Yeah, okay, what is it?' He asked, emphasising the 'what'.

'It's medicine. An antipsychotic drug.' Simon explained.

'What does this mean?' Inara asked.

'While I worked as a Doctor, I only ever saw this drug given as medication for one disease.' Simon breathed deeply. 'Jack has schizophrenia.' Mal stared at him.

'What does that mean?' Mal asked Simon.

'Jack's insane. I mean as in completely. Delusions, voices, distorted reality, the whole shebang.' He told them.

'So, what, is he going to kill us all in our sleep?' Mal asked, laughing. Simon didn't laugh. 'You can't be serious.'

'River had a closer look at the insignia on his jacket. I've heard it described before by the people who helped me get River out. It's the logo for a top-secret military organisation. They didn't tell me what it was called, but they gave me a description. According to him, they are essentially teams of Operatives on steroids. These people are devastating.' Simon shuddered. 'Add to that the schizophrenia, and the fact that his medicine container' Simon shook the said container, 'is empty, we have psychotic episodes.' He looked up at the others. 'We need to get him off this ship.' This time, he looked at Kaylee, genuine fear in his eyes. 'None of us are safe.' The ship began to shake. Mal looked at the window above him. He could see the flames building around his ship.

'We've just entered atmo.' He turned to Kaylee. 'Can you fly this thing?'

'Think so, Captain.' Kaylee told him.

'Right, you and Simon lock yourself on the bridge. Do not open the door unless you hear us.' Kaylee nodded. Mal turned to Jayne, Zoe and River. 'You three, get whatever weapons you can. If you find Jack, don't attack him unless you have to. Lock rooms behind you.' Mal looked around. 'Well, what are you waiting for! Move!'

* * *

Schizophrenia is a real disease, and real people have to fight symptoms similar to those described every day of their life. If you would like to find out more about schizophrenia, go to my profile to find the website. 


	7. Violence

Aren't purposes strange? We are alive, yet machines have purposes. We are intelligent, yet ants have purposes. Even mosquitoes, presumably, know their purpose. It gives them meaning. To have meaning, to know the reason for your existence, makes you more powerful, more determined than any one man could ever imagine. When you know your purpose, failing is not an option. Jack knew his purpose, which was why he was hiding in shadows, waiting for the right moment.

* * *

Mal, River, Jayne and Zoe, were searching the ship. They searched the passenger dorms, the crew quarters, the infirmary, everywhere, locking doors behind them, making sure Jack had nowhere to go. When they finished searching the hold, they checked Inara's shuttle before telling her to go inside and lock it. Once it was locked, Mal was deeply puzzled. Where was he? He hadn't been anywhere they'd looked. Mal concentrated his thought process: If I was a schizophrenic psychopath, where would I hi-

The music stopped. The screaming began.

* * *

After the meeting, Kaylee and Simon ran to the bridge and locked it tight. Simon watched Kaylee. Poor thing, he thought as she sat down, she's probably scared out of her wits. He went over and saw that she was crying.

'Are you going to be able to do this, bao bei?' Simon asked, placing his hands on her shoulders.' Kaylee blinked away the tears.

'Yeah, might be able to.' She said, sniffling. 'Just so afraid, is all.' Simon massaged her neck.

'Shh. It's going to be alright.' He said, calming her down. 'Just get this ship on the ground.' There was a knocking on the door. They looked at each other, the same thought passing through their heads.

Is it him?

'Mal?' Simon asked. More knocking. 'Mal, is that you?' Silence. Without warning, a loud, engine-like sound built up.

Jack walked into River's room, moving silently. He picked up his black bag, just lying there. Opening it quietly, he pulled out the item he'd taken so many months to get right.

Sparks flew from the door, there was a loud, grating noise and the door flew open. Jack was standing there, emotionless, holding what looked like a modified chainsaw. Simon grabbed Kaylee as Jack stepped forward, cutting through the pilot's terminal.

The music stopped. The screaming began.

* * *

Mal ran for the bridge, River, Jayne and Zoe following behind. Up the stairs, round the corner. God oh God oh God don't let me bet too late Mal thought. Mal felt the ship change somehow. Then he realised. They were plummeting. They reached the bridge, and stared in horror.

* * *

Simon tried to protect Kaylee, he really did, but he was just swatted out of the way. Jack walked up to Kaylee and held her up by the throat. Thoughts pulsed through his brain, but then he had an idea. Kaylee choked, trying to scream, but she had no air left in her lungs.

* * *

Mal walked in, and gazed at what he saw. Jack had disappeared, whatever damage he wanted to do, it was done, the pilot terminals ripped into shreds. Simon was unconscious against the wall, blood leaking out his mouth, but Kaylee…he was horrified. Kaylee was hanging there, a pipe through her shoulder. Mal took Kaylee down, Jayne picked up Simon, and Jack swung down from the ceiling.

Mal and Jack stared at each other for what seemed like a lifetime. Eventually, Jack approached him, chainsaw starting. Then there was a bang. The windows shattered, Jack flew out but hung on to the frame. Mal and the others barely withstood the wind. They made their way to the shuttles as quickly as possible.

* * *

The engine moved faster and faster. It was being made to go much quicker than it was ever meant for, to stop the plummeting to no avail. The object impaled in it, absorbed all the energy it gave out, until-

There was a click. A green light flashed, and began transmitting.

* * *

Mal ran for his life, holding the unconscious and bleeding Kaylee in his arms. Zoe went off to collect Simon's emergency med kit, and River collected what she needed from the infirmary. Mal shouted through the com to Inara, getting Zoe, Jayne and River inside one shuttle. Mal, Simon and Kaylee took Inara's, Inara helping Simon in. Before they parted Zoe and River gave them the supplies they'd collected. Without hesitation, Inara sat down in the pilot's seat and took off for safety, as Serenity plummeted ground-ward.

* * *

Jack held on for his life. He hadn't failed. He just needed to hold on for a bit longer…

* * *

Metal eyes watched Serenity plummet to its demise. It was calling it, calling for help. The eyes widened…and fired.

* * *

Mal watched Serenity as it fell like a stone. His ship had been through so much, and had been taken down by one man. He couldn't believe it. Should've trusted Zoe, he thought. Should've trusted River, should've trusted me. He watched the ship that had been his home for so long, fall, falling, never slowing down. He looked at his instruments. They were acting up, displaying gigantic energy signatures. Mal looked up as a bright white column of light erupted from the sky, engulfing Serenity. There was a flash, brighter than the sun, and Serenity was gone. He picked up his radio. Inara stared at the sky.

'What the Hell was that?' She asked in disbelief.

'I really, really don't know.' Mal said, amazed.

* * *

Jack looked around. He was in a lake, trying to get to land. Behind him, Serenity slowly sunk into the water. He watched the Firefly sink down, a home to people lost. That didn't matter to Jack, he was where he needed to be. A building, a small cottage was sitting at the lakeside. As he walked up the path, he noticed the lake shimmer, the sun's last rays, the sunset, shining down on this obscure little world. He reached the cottage, slammed open the door, shot the three men at the table dead and threw a grenade in the bedroom. There was screaming, an explosion, then nothing. He took a handkerchief from one of the corpses and wiped the sweat off his face. He took the weirdly shaped gun off the man sitting next to it, checking it for ammunition. Content with his load, he made his way to the wall, and pressed some bricks in what appeared to be totally random order. The wall opened, revealing a massive computer. He slid a data disk into a slot, and waited while the loading bar onscreen filled up. Eventually, three words appeared onscreen.

He sighed, placed the charges and left in the spaceship parked at the back door. As he left the atmosphere, he watched the flames destroy any remnants of the computer and its guards. He looked at the data disk in his palm, and at the three words flashing on the front.

**ATLAS FIRING CODES**


	8. Moving On Up

The former crew of Serenity sat in silence in Inara's shuttle. Simon held Kaylee's hand, stroking it slowly. After he'd woken up and seen Kaylee, he almost broke down. The sight of her, with a big, gaping wound in her shoulder just didn't fit in his head. Who, he thought, WHO would harm someone so pure, so sweet as her? Inside his head, he nearly laughed. Of course. A schizophrenic psychopath. He got Mal to land the ship as fast as he possibly could, prepping Kaylee ready on the bed. When they had landed, Simon worked like a man possessed, trying to help Kaylee. Once he'd finished, he was so tired he collapsed onto the bed next to her. They were still there, Kaylee and Simon wrapped up in the blankets. 

'Don't make no sense.' Jayne said. Mal didn't know how, but Jayne had managed to take along with him, as well as Vera, two pistols, a box of cigars, a lighter, and his trademark 'cunning' woolly bobble hat. Wearing said hat and chewing a said cigar, Jayne said 'He just vanished. I mean, what the gorram Hell was that?' Mal nodded. He'd seen it plain as sky, a beam of light had just absorbed Serenity. Played merry Hell with the ship, too. Simon nodded. He'd been listening for quite a while, but something wasn't adding up.

'A beam of light?' He asked. Mal nodded. 'See a ship? Apart from Serenity, I mean.' Mal thought. That was the weird part, there was no ship. Just light.

'No, no ship.' He told him.

'Huh.' Simon said.

'What?' Mal asked.

'Well, if there wasn't a ship, it couldn't have come out of nowhere.' He replied. Mal sighed. He didn't have time for mind games.

'I don't think that's the issue at hand here.' He said, tired as, well, a very tired person. 'We're stuck on this rock.' Everyone stared at him, never having thought of that. Inara nodded.

'He's right. We couldn't get far in one of these. Also, I looked at the radar. There isn't any civilization on this planet. No one here.' Everyone went quiet. Simon looked up, his train of thought pulling into the last stop.

'Could it reach orbit?' He asked. Inara paused.

'Yeah, I think so, why?' She asked.

'Well, that light had to come from somewhere. If we couldn't see the ship, it must've been something in orbit to do that. Any further and it wouldn't have been able to get through the atmosphere. Also, since the ship just disappeared, I don't think it was destroyed. Possibly-' He looked around, wondering if the others would think he was crazy. 'Possibly teleported.' Jayne snorted.

'Teleported?' He said, chuckling. 'Boy, you been smelling engine fumes too long.' He said, getting an angry look from Kaylee. 'That's impossible. Like, something out of Sci Fi.' Zoe looked at him curiously.

'Jayne, we live on a spaceship.' She stopped. 'Lived, lived on a spaceship. River's a reader. We can get from planet to planet in a matter of hours. Why should this be any less impossible?' Jayne looked annoyingly at Mal.

'Gorram you and your fancy logic.' He muttered. Mal looked over at Simon.

'You saying there's some teleportation device in orbit?' Mal asked.

'It's very possible.' He answered. Kaylee raised her hand, resulting in a cry of pain. Everyone looked over at her, worried. Simon put his arm around her, whispering into her ear, calming her down.

'Er, Captain?' She said.

'Yes, Kaylee?'

'I know it would be brilliant to get somewhere else, maybe fix Serenity,' She said, 'But do we…you know…really want to follow Jack somewhere we ain't seen?' Mal gazed at her, amazed. He hadn't thought of that.

'From what you told me, the only reason you got away was because Jack flew out the windows when they broke from the speed.' Simon added. Mal nodded.

'I know, but Jack doesn't seem the type to wait around.' Mal told him. 'Anyway, if there really is something in orbit, we should get to it before we go out of range.' There was unanimous agreement from everyone, apart from Kaylee.

'Kaylee?' Mal asked.

'Just don't want to cross him again, is all.' She said quietly. Simon hugged her close.

'Don't worry, bao bei, next time he comes, we'll be ready for him. I'll be ready for him.' Kaylee smiled.

'Well then, what are we waiting for?' She asked brightly. Mal nodded.

'You heard the lady, let's get going! Don't wanna be sitting around on this rock forever, do we?'

* * *

As the shuttles left the atmosphere, Kaylee huddled up close next to Simon.

'Thanks for fixing me up.' She said. He smiled.

'Didn't have everything I needed. You need a bit more work-' She put a finger on his lips, shushing him.

'You did your best, honey. You did your best.' Kaylee told him, resting her head on his shoulder and immediately fell asleep. As the couple tried to get some well deserved rest, Mal watched them wrap their arms around each other. It was Inara's shout that shook him out of his happy moment.

'Mal! Look out!' He turned to look and saw a giant black ship floating in front of him. He spun around it quickly, radioing the others.

'Hey Zoe, you see what I see?' He asked his first mate.

'I do, Sir. There's a couple of what appear to be shuttle docks.' There was a short pause. 'Sir, I've tried to wave them. We got no response.'

'Alright, don't board until we get there, we do this together. There could be something on board that don't want us to know it's there. If that's true, it might not appreciate a little hello.'

'Will do, Sir.' Zoe replied. Inara looked bewilderingly at him.

'You're going to board that thing?' She asked incredulously.

'Why not?' Inara thought for a good reason. Several came. She chose the best.

'It could be Alliance.' Mal paused, then shook his head.

'Nah, if it had been Alliance, they would've used something this powerful during the war, trust me.' Inara sighed.

'I won't say I told you so.' She muttered.

As they docked with the satellite, Mal wondered if there would be any oxygen on board. Oh well, he thought, too late for that thought.

* * *

The shuttle doors slid open as Mal and Zoe took point. No offence to River's amazing abilities, but he always felt more comfortable when working with Zoe. He took a good look around. White and clean, with smooth curves where the floor and ceiling met the walls. There were big panels in the walls that emanated light for a reason Mal couldn't fathom. He decided it was safe, and waved for Jayne and River to follow. River looked around, trying to sense something, anything. Nothing. Jayne, on the other hand, was staring around, mesmerised.

'Shouldn't ought to be so clean for a satellite.' He said, clutching Vera.

'Yeah, I know. It's eerie.' Mal replied. At the other end of the room was a big, silver panel, with an insignia: A large, muscular man holding up a planet, with three flags above it. Jayne watched it with fearful eyes.

'Weren't that the thingy the doc told us about?' Jayne gulped. 'On Jack's jacket?' Mal nodded. His throat had gone very dry. There was a ringing sound, and the panel folded in two. Everyone raised their respective weapons at it, afraid of the psychopath who had beaten up one of their crew and tried to butcher the other. Fortunately, he wasn't in there. They walked in, looking around. The room they were in was easily as big as Serenity's hold, but spherical. From the door, there was a raised walkway to a platform in the middle of the room. From this, four similar pathways spread off. This wasn't the oddest thing about the room, however. That position was requested by two things:

Firstly, the room was freezing. Utterly, utterly cold. Mal shivered, stepping back into the previous room for warmth, before walking back into the large spherical oddity.

Secondly, the presence of a naked woman, sitting in a chair in the middle of the room, needles sticking into her.

Mal waved over to Zoe, requesting that she get the good doctor. He came, along with Inara, Jayne and Kaylee.

'I only asked for Simon!' He said. Zoe shrugged.

'Guess they were interested, Sir.' She replied. Kaylee and Simon were wearing Inara's warmest jumpers. Mal chuckled.

'Simon, I didn't know pink suited you so well!' He said. Simon smiled.

'Neither did I.' He laughed. Kaylee shivered.

'Inara, why's it so cold here?' She asked.

'No clue, mei mei.' She said. Kaylee looked over at her.

'Why aren't you cold?' She asked.

'Companion training.' She said. Jayne stared.

'For cold? Why?' He asked.

'Just in case I get to do someone on a frigid satellite in orbit.' She replied, mockingly. Jayne shivered.

'I miss my bunk.' Simon felt the woman's pulse.

'She's dead, but-' Simon was interrupted.

'The dead awaken.' River told him. Simon stared.

'What?' Before he could react, the room hummed. Mal spun around, trying to see where it was coming from. The hum grew steadily.

'What did you do!' He shouted at Simon.

'I just felt her pulse!' He replied. Jayne cocked Vera.

'Gettin' on my ruttin' nerves.' He said, clutching his favourite gun. The room grew warmer, and yellow streaks started appearing on the ceiling, flashing from the top to the bottom. Suddenly, the humming stopped and the middle platform glowed bright yellow.

'This don't bode well.' Mal said. The room became increasingly warmer, so warm that the ice became water in an instant and splashed onto the heads of the crew. Simon stared at the naked woman, not in a perverted manner, but at the tubes flowing into her body. They were flowing with red and clear liquids. There was the sound of electricity build-up, and Simon was thrown on his back with a cry. Kaylee screamed.

'Simon!' Kaylee wasn't the only one. The woman in the chair had woken up, and was staring around, disoriented. Within seconds, however, she had thumped the armrest, grabbed the shotgun that flew out of the ground and slammed its butt into Simon's head as he was getting up, causing him to fall back down again. The crew drew the guns at her. The woman blinked, apparently realising what she had just done. She smiled timidly.

'Well, I wasn't expecting company.'

* * *

Ten minutes later, she was sitting back on the shuttle, under the watchful eyes of the crew, and the watchful barrel of Vera. Kaylee was lying with Simon on the bed, holding him against her good shoulder, soothing him, and sending hateful glances at the woman sitting on the chest at the end of the bed. There wasn't any blood, but some bruising, so Kaylee had wrapped a bandage around his head, and had proceeded to decorate it with flowers and hearts. The crew had just begun questioning the previously dead woman.

'Who are you?' Mal asked.

'My name's Belle.' She said.

'What's your rank?' Zoe asked.

'Zoe, what are-' He began, before Belle interrupted.

'Brigadier General Bellina Elizabeth Forrester.' She started listing off medals. 'Victoria Cross for the Spectre atrocity, St. George's Cross for the Battle of Olympus, ten years in the SAS, the rest working for ATLAS.' She smiled. 'Call me Belle.' The crew stared at her, open mouthed and wide eyed. Jayne lowered Vera in respect. Zoe gaped.

'Jesus, you're-' Mal began.

'Hard core military? All the way.' Belle said. 'What're you?'

'Captain.' Mal stopped. 'How did you know?'

'Call it military instinct.' She smiled again.

'That symbol, on the door. What was it?' Zoe asked her. Belle turned to Zoe, confused.

'You don't know?' Zoe shook her head. 'That's the symbol for ATLAS.'

'What's ATLAS?' Kaylee asked, holding Simon close. Belle turned to her, and Kaylee recoiled. Belle noticed Simon, lying across her.

'Look, I'm really sorry about him, okay? I was very surprised.' Kaylee made a very un-Kaylee snort of disbelief, and held Simon close, muttering under her breath.

'It's okay, Bao bei.' He said, squeezing her hand. 'It was an accident. I'm not holding a grudge.' Kaylee smiled, holding Simon closer to her.

'ATLAS, well, ATLAS is-' Belle stopped, staring in horror at Kaylee's shoulder, and at the blood-stained bandage.

'Jesus Christ, woman, what happened to your shoulder!' Belle nearly shouted.

'Guy attacked me and Simon.' Kaylee said shyly. 'Simon here patched me up.'

'Cool.' Belle said, then stopped again. 'Bao bei? What is that?'

'It's Chinese for darling.' Simon said, looking up at Kaylee with compassion in his eyes.

'Chinese, but-' Belle stopped for a third time, looking over at Simon. 'You're married?' The couple blushed.

'No, no…not married.' Simon said.

'Not yet, anyway.' Kaylee added. Mal looked on in horror. Dear God, he thought, this woman really was trouble. He really didn't need yet another shipboard marriage. He looked over at Zoe. Not yet, anyway, he mentally added. He could see it in Zoe's eyes, memories of her marriage with Wash, becoming Mrs. Zoe Washburne. She'd stuck with the name, even after his death. Mal made a mental note that if he ever got back Serenity, he was going to hide all of Zoe's wedding dress catalogues.

'You're both very lucky.' Belle said, before turning back to the group at large. The two lovers smiled, holding each other close. 'Chinese? He speaks Chinese?' She said, indicating Simon. Mal was stunned. What was with this woman, he asked himself.

'Yeah,' Kaylee said, 'We all do. Why,' She asked, 'Don't you?'

'No.' Belle said, surprised. 'Does everyone?'

'Well, yeah.' Jayne said, including himself in the conversation. 'Everyone's taught English and Chinese.'

'Wow.' Belle looked out the shuttle window at the planet below them. She squinted. 'Where are we?' She asked.

'We're orbiting Ninth.' River told her.

'What!' Belle shouted, running over to the window and pressing herself against it, as if trying to find evidence to the contrary. Mal was stunned, again. He hated being stunned.

'Didn't you, well, know?' Mal asked.

'No.' She said, looking down at the planet beneath her. 'Last time I was awake, it was orbiting Earth.'


	9. Morning Glory

The crew stared at her, amazed. Simon's mouth had dropped open. 

'You…you can't be serious.' He said, after making sure his jaw hadn't really hit the floor. Belle nodded. Looking up, Mal saw her shocked face, starting to run with tears, reflected in the shuttle window. Realisation flashed across her face.

'God, my team!' She said, running out of the shuttle. Mal and Zoe exchanged glances.

'Her team?' He asked his first mate. She shrugged, before running off to follow Belle. River and Jayne quickly followed. Simon tried to get up, but he made a grimace and sunk back onto the bed. He looked up into Kaylee's face with a playful expression.

'I might be needing some help here.' He said.

* * *

Mal followed Belle through the big, spherical chamber, through another door and into what looked to be a control room. It was much smaller than the main room, but still spherical. In the centre was a raised platform, with stairs running down to a walkway below. On this raised platform was a chair, with numerous buttons on a console around it. Belle went and sat in said chair, pressing what seemed to be random buttons and typing a code in on the keyboard. The section of the wall directly in front of her lit up, becoming a screen. Mal watched as words appeared on it, indicating that the entire station was saving power. With a couple more button taps, the screen turned from dark red to bright blue, beginning its power-up procedure. Belle leant back, satisfied.

'You mentioned a crew?' Mal asked. Belle looked round, apparently not having noticed him before.

'Yeah, I did.' She told him. There was a pause.

'What about them?' He said.

'They're waking up.'

Kaylee helped Simon hobble across the main chamber. At the centre, Simon rested on the chair, hesitant to actually sit in it.

'Trouble?' She asked. Simon rubbed his back, aching.

'Yeah. Belle hit me hard. Back. Aches. Ow.' He said. Kaylee came and sat with him, holding him too her shoulder.

'Come on, you'll be all shiny in no time.' She said. She tilted his face up, grinning. 'I know just how.'

Simon felt her lips touch his, the warmth of his breath spreading over his bruised body. He opened his mouth, feeling Kaylee push her tongue inside his head. He obliged by following suit. After a minute, Kaylee pulled back, smiling.

'All better?' She asked. He nodded. 'Shiny.'

'That doesn't mean you have to stop.' He said, pulling her warm, loving body back towards him. Politeness be damned, he thought, passionately embracing her, kissing her, his sliding up beneath her top, reaching to remove her bra. There was a cough, someone clearing their throat. Behind them stood a large, muscular man, looking bemused.

'Oh, don't mind me.' He said in a thick Irish accent. Simon and Kaylee stared at him. Simon slowly removed his hands from beneath her top. The man smirked. He saw the chair they were perched on, and the lack of its former occupant. 'You guys seen Belle?' He asked. They nodded. They stared still more.

'She said something about her crew, then ran off.' Kaylee said. The man nodded.

'Thanks.' He said, wandering off. They watched him go.

'Wasn't he…you know…' Simon began.

'Naked?' Kaylee finished.

'Yeah.' Kaylee grinned her wide, playful grin.

'For a big man, he was kinda lacking, wasn't he?' She asked.

'What?' Simon replied, confused.

'You know, he was lacking where it counts.' She said, her grin growing wider.

'What?' She nodded suggestively. 'Oh.' Simon's grin matched hers. 'Oh.'

* * *

The big Irishman walked in, yawning, stretching, his muscles flowing under his skin. Belle turned around.

'Hey, General.' The big man said. Belle smiled broadly.

'Hey, Captain. Welcome back. You're the first up, you know.' The man returned her smile, but with a hint of mischief.

'Early bird gets the biggest gun, ma'am.' Belle stared.

'Er, Captain?' She said, indicating his obvious lack of clothes. Mal walked up the stairway, looking at the disc Belle had asked him to retrieve.

'Hey, Belle, got this disk here. Green lights all around, so it should wo-' He noticed the naked man. 'Hiya.'

'Morning.' There was an awkward silence. Fortunately, Mal had the perfect icebreaker.

'Mine's bigger.'

* * *

Kaylee and Simon, unabashed and ignorant of their previous encounter, began their ritual of love again, albeit actually in the chair this time. No matter how creepy it was, Simon thought, his arse really ached from the armrest. Kaylee was on him, holding him tight. He reached up her back, removing her bra. She had hooked her legs round his back, kissing him tenderly, then passionately, then back to tenderly, teasing him to unleash himself on her. She knew he was hurt, but she also knew he was holding back, waiting for the right moment. Didn't want to spoil her just yet. He reached into her jumpsuit, pulling it down with her underwear. She pulled down his trousers and underwear, as they held one another, feeling the heat of their genitalia. She smiled down at him.

'Ready?' She asked. He stroked her breasts, kissing her lips.

'Do you have to ask?' He asked. She felt him get closer, beginning to unite their two bodies into one sweaty, warm, passionate mass. There was a commotion from behind a door as a man and a woman walked passed, arguing. Simon and Kaylee stopped dead in their rhythm.

'I'm telling you, if you tuned up Endgame, you could provide enough energy for a galaxy.' He told her with a Russian accent. The woman scoffed.

'That's a load of BS Nikolai, and you know it.' She said, laughing at Nikolai's argument. She spoke with a strong Australian accent. 'Endgame can't be tuned up. It's stuck like that, you've seen the blueprints.'

'Fine. Be like that.' He said, walking Belle's room. They stopped at the door. 'Hey, you see the copulating couple over there?' The Australian woman nodded.

'Yeah, I saw. Good pair of tits on her.' She said, before walking through. Simon and Kaylee breathed out.

'That was…weird.' Simon said eventually. 'But, you know, she's right.' Kaylee looked at him, curiously.

'Really?' She said, intrigued by his comment.

'Yeah,' He said, cupping her breasts, stroking her nipples. 'You do have a good pair.' She laughed, ramming her tongue down his throat.

'We should take this somewhere more private.' She said, stroking his hair.

'Where do you suggest?' Kaylee grinned. She knew the perfect place, and whispered it into his ear. Needing no encouragement, he lifted her up, putting himself inside her. She moaned. 'You really know how to make a girl happy.' Kaylee told him, as he carried her, still thrusting, into Inara's shuttle.

* * *

As the dressed Irishman, Russian, Australian and, Mal thought, judging by her accent, Englishwoman gathered in what Belle revealed to be the control room. While the Irishman, who according to Belle was known as Hannigan, talked to Jayne about many ingenious ways to kill people, Belle, Nikolai, and the Australian who introduced herself as Alice, tried to explain to Mal and River about what in the name of Hell was going on.

'Could you explain what in the name of Hell is going on?' Mal asked. Belle sighed. She told him. She told him about how they had been part of a government operation called ATLAS. She told him how she'd been fatally wounded in battle, and then put in a special medi-cryo so they could heal her without her dying on them. She said how they had been a team of five: Belle, the marksman, Nikolai, the engineer, Alice, the pilot, Hannigan, the gunman, and Jack, the leader. Jack, Mal thought. Whoa, Jack!

'Jack?' He asked. Belle sighed.

'Yeah,' She said, a tone of sadness entering her voice. 'He was my husband.'

'Really?' Mal needed to make sure. 'Big? Rugged? Bleach-blonde hair?'

'Yeah,' Alice blurted in, ''cept he made a right cock-a-doodle and went postal.' Mal stared at her. It appeared that even in the future, when near-enough the entire population can speak both English and Chinese, people still can't understand the Australians.

'Come again?' Mal asked. Alice sighed.

'He went insane and became psychotic.' Nikolai said plainly. Mal had enough information.

'We met him.' Belle stared at him.

'You WHAT!' She nearly screamed.

'We met him.' Mal said. 'Tried to murder my crew, which is how Kaylee got that shoulder wounded.' The three stared, transfixed by this news. Meanwhile, Hannigan droned on, blissfully unaware.

'It doesn't matter much it costs, the 8306 Assault Rifle is a work of art!' Jayne said, using the tone that art critics usually reserve for Picasso. 'It fires faster, is a thousand fold more accurate than anything else on the market, and has a grenade launcher affixed! You just can't go wrong!' Hannigan nodded sagely. Jayne stopped, noticing the silence. 'What's up, Mal?'

'Just tellin' them 'bout Jack.' Mal said. Jayne nodded, uncaring.

'I remember Jack.' Hannigan said. 'Nice man. Bit loopy. Good teeth.' With that last comment, they launched back into their fevered discussion about guns. There was an awkward silence among the less violence-oriented. Alice laughed.

'Yeah, I remember Jack. When you two were still together, you used to be at it like animals, all day long.' Alice said. Belle looked embarrassed.

'Shut up.' She mumbled. Jayne shushed Hannigan, listening intently.

'Yeah,' Alice continued, 'Just like those two in there.' She thumbed in the general direction of the door. 'Going at it.'

'Great tits.' Nikolai added.

* * *

When they entered the shuttle, Inara was monitoring the radar transmissions, trying to wave another ship, unfortunately to no avail. She heard them enter, and popped her head round the side, seeing them entangled in each other. Giggling silently, Inara heard the two lovers go at it. There was moaning, and screaming of names. More moaning. Then, climax. It sounded beautiful. How it smelt, on the other hand, was another matter entirely. Inara looked back again. They were both lying there, kissing, not even stopping, just resting.. They rested for a couple more seconds before launching back into it. Inara couldn't help but be fascinated. She'd heard of that position, and the exquisite pleasure it brought, but the last time she'd attempted it her client nearly broke his back. She looked away, respecting their privacy. She mentally sighed as more moaning, groaning, shouting, proclamations and…noises came from the bed. It would take ages to get the smell out, she thought. But as for the stains… 


	10. Praise You

Simon looked down at Kaylee. His Kaylee, so sweet, so innocent, but when it came to sex, so feisty. He was holding her in his arms, her legs and arms wrapped around him. They were both naked, and he could feel her warmth. He looked at her loving embrace, and decided it was time to do something that he should have done already.

'You know, Kaylee,' he said held her up, 'Ever since I saw you, I fell in love with you.' She looked up at him, a smile dancing around her lips.

'Really?' She asked.

'Really.' He answered. 'I've always wanted to spend my life with someone like you, Kaylee.' He told her, holding her so they could see each other clearly. 'You're beautiful, charming, and sweet-' Kaylee kissed him once more. When she stopped, he continued. 'I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.' She looked up at his face, and a twinkle appeared in his eye. 'Kaylee, I can't think of any moment in my life that wouldn't be better with you in it, and I don't want there to be any more without you. I want to cherish you and every moment we have together, I want to have children with you, I want to grow old with you.' She began crying, and sniffed, as she watched him pick up a box from the end of the bed, and showed it to her. 'When I got River out, this was one of the few possessions I took with me. It's an old family heirloom. It was a present from my grandfather, who told me it would unite me with the one I love. I didn't know what it meant then, but I do now. It means so much to me, but you mean more, so much more.' He opened the box, and revealed a beautiful, diamond-encrusted gold ring. Kaylee looked at the ring, then Simon, and put two and two together. She knew this day would come, one day, but it still made her all the more excited. 'I want to do everything with you that I just said, and so much more, but before I do that, there is one last thing I need to do.' He looked up into her face, seeing the tears streaming down her face, and knew, once more, that they were not tears of sadness. He had not hurt Kaylee in any way, he had not abused her, he had not threatened her or damaged her. They were tears of happiness. As he said the words, he felt tears run down his face. He knew she knew what he was about to do, and he knew she was as excited as he was. He sniffed away the tears, just in time to say his piece.

'Kaywinnet Lee Frye,' He began, holding back his tears of emotion best he could, 'Will you marry me?' There was silence as Kaylee restrained the tears that threatened to flow like a stream. She nodded, grinning.

'Yes.' She began to cry again. 'Yes, Simon, I will!' Simon grinned, kissing her. When they broke, she hung on to him while he used both hands to put the ring on her outstretched hand. Once the deed was done, she broke down, letting all the emotion out. Simon followed suit, and as they kissed, tears of joy stung their eyes, yet did nothing to disturb their happiness. Simon looked her straight in the eyes as he broke the kiss.

'I love you, Kaylee.' He said, pushing her hair out of her eyes.

'I love you too, Simon.' She said, kissing him again. 'And please, call me Mrs. Tam.' She said, holding onto him. They'd been through so much together, and Kaylee knew they'd go through much more, as more than friends, as husband and wife. Kaylee knocked Simon back onto the bed and straddled him. Simon had just given her the best gift of her life, and she was damn well going to try and pay him back. 


	11. Roll With It

Simon woke up. Next to him lay Kaylee. No, his wife. He couldn't believe it. He'd done it. He'd actually, finally done it. He'd proposed, and she said yes. Not only that, he thought as the memories of last night returned to him, but she'd tried to repay him in full right there and then. With his bruises and her shoulder, and last night, he couldn't figure out why he was still able to move. Ah. Maybe not, then. Next to him lay Kaylee. Mrs. Tam. He could tell she liked the ring of it. Kaywinnet Lee Tam. Nice. He moved beside her, feeling the pain that came after pleasure. For the life of him, he couldn't think of where she'd have learnt those things she did. Probably better not to ask, he reckoned. As she stirred, he hugged her tight. 

'Morning, honey.' He said. She snuggled up next to him, relaxing next to his warm body.

'Morning, hubbie.' She said. 'Didn't think I'd forget, did you?' She asked, teasing him.

'As a matter of fact, no. I didn't think you'd forgotten.' He said, stroking her head. 'In fact, I thought by now you'd have gone on the cortex and picked out your dress.'

'Hmm. Later. Now, sleepy time.' She said, hugging him. She sighed. 'Last night was just like a dream, you know?' She asked. Simon nodded. 'I mean, we had such great sex, and then you proposed, and then-'

'More great sex.' He finished. They kissed, memories of last night flowing through them, before they fell asleep again.

'So, did you say yes?' A voice asked. Mmm. Simon was such a tease, Kaylee thought.

'Course, honey. Why?'

'Gotta spread the news.' Kaylee opened her eyes. River was standing there. Simon was stirring again.

'What? What's going- River?' Simon noticed his younger sister, who had unceremoniously dumped their clothes at the end of their bed, before she ran out the shuttle. 'She's gonna tell them isn't she.' He said. It wasn't a question, but Kaylee decided to answer her husband anyway.

'Yeah. Why, you afraid?' She said.

'Kinda. You know, Mal's going to have a gorram field day.' He said. 'And Jayne…oh God.' She put a finger to his lips, indicating that he should calm down.

'It's gonna be shiny. Everything will work out, you'll see. It always does.' She told him.

* * *

Once dressed, they staggered out of the shuttle, hand in hand. They were both so sore, but it just didn't seem to matter. They walked on, regardless. They heard noise from behind one of the doors. Once they reached it, Simon put his arm around Kaylee, hugging her.

'After you, Mrs. Tam?' He asked.

'No, Mr. Tam, after you.' She replied, playfully. They walked into the room, holding each other. Oddly enough, everyone was preoccupied with the ship in what appeared to be a hanger. Unlike the rest of the satellite, it wasn't shiny white. It was a grey, bluish colour, with parts littering the floor. Kaylee squealed when she saw the ship, open to the world, being repaired. There was a bang as Nikolai meddled with something in the engine and the ship's prow pulsed purple. He observed it for a couple of seconds before delving back into the engine.

'Hey, if I knew he was a psychopathic schizophrenic, I wouldn't have hired him, okay!' Mal said as the door behind the couple opened, and Mal and Belle walked through, arguing.

'Well, why did you think he didn't open his bag, hmm!' Belle replied, clearly angry.

'Look, I really don't want to get discussin' with you.' Mal said. 'If you're gonna help, you could at least tell me when you can get me to my ship! He took it, you know!'

'Hey, I checked the records, and yes, the molecular transfer unit did-'

'The what?' Mal said. Belle continued unhindered.

'While the molecular transfer unit did take him somewhere, I can't just look up the destination.' Belle sighed. 'Once a transfer has taken place, the destination is erased for security purposes. I do, however, how a strong suspicion as to where he might have gone.' She walked up to a wall panel, hit a few buttons and a map of the system appeared. Belle pointed to a small planet, near the rim, and the map zoomed in, showing the satellite as well. 'We're here. A molecular transfer unit has a small radius before it has to hitch a ride on another unit.' Mal looked suspicious. 'Look, the only one with that radius is this one.' Belle pointed to another planet, not too far away. 'Again, radius. Again, no other cannons. He has to have gone there.' She pressed a few more buttons on the wall panel, and the map closed. 'Most likely he dumped the ship after the windows smashed, and took another.' Mal decided she might be right.

'This planet he went to, what is it?' He asked.

'Don't know.' Belle replied. 'Classified. Says that it's uninhabited, but since it's marked by the ATLAS computer, it could be important.' Mal rubbed his hands together.

'Well, let's just teleport there, get my ship, fix it and go. How hard could that be?' Belle sighed.

'Hard. We can't transfer.' She said.

'What? But he-'

'Yeah, well, when he did transfer he fried the circuits. The molecular transfer unit was designed to be used after powering up, otherwise you destroy the firing circuits, and without those, the next person to be teleported can say goodbye to their cell structure. You might as well walk through a meat grinder.'

'Huh.' Mal replied. It was only then that he saw Simon and Kaylee, looking at the ship, awestruck. 'Well, you two look rested.' Kaylee giggled.

'Not really.' She said, smiling her usual Kaylee smile. Simon hugged her and gave her a kiss on the forehead, grinning broadly. Mal watched them, watched their body language and realised there was something more than just the usual elated high after sex.

'You two got something to tell me?' Mal asked. Kaylee turned to Simon.

'Shall we tell him?' She asked.

'Well, River's going to tell them soon, so why not?' He told her.

'Tell me what?' Mal asked. Just then, River came in, leading Zoe and Jayne.

'Right here.' River told them, pointing at the three others. Zoe looked puzzled.

'Sir, what's going on?' Zoe asked. 'River told us to come down here, said there was something we ought to see.'

'Somethin' about these to rutters havin' somethin' important to say.' Jayne said.

'Well, these two were about to tell me what.' Mal told her. Kaylee turned to Simon, smiled brightly, then turned back to Mal.

'Simon proposed!' She said, hardly able to keep back her excitement. Mal stared at them both, uncomprehending, before the full effect of what she'd just said hit him like a sledgehammer.

'He WHAT!' He screamed. Nikolai rose so suddenly, he hit his head, muttering countless Russian curses. Zoe and Jayne just stood there, gaping. Belle and River were the only people, apart from Simon and Kaylee, who were really enjoying this.

'We're getting married!' She said, and with that, turned to Simon and kissed him, as he lifted her off the floor in a massive hug. All Hell broke loose. Mal started shouting about "gorram shipboard romances", Zoe started arguing with Mal about how Wash and her were no different, before she stopped, remembering her late husband, then continuing for Simon and Kaylee's sake. Jayne shouted at Mal about letting Kaylee get hitched to some pretty boy Doctor. Belle came over to congratulate the couple on getting engaged, and River came over to give them both a hug, and told Simon that "maybe he wasn't such a boob after all". Nikolai walked over to Belle and started saying how he had a splitting headache, and how he couldn't work in these conditions. The last two, an Irishman and an Australian, sat in the ship's cockpit, checking controls and watching.

'Everything set?' Hannigan asked.

'Ready, set, but a shortage of go.' Alice said. 'You know, it's nice, those two getting hitched.'

'Yeah.' Hannigan replied. 'You know it's sad, knowing Jack's still out there.' Alice sighed.

'I know. Wonder what the old git's doing now?' She asked, rhetorically.

* * *

The old git in question was stomping around a battleship's control room, fed up with the lack of service. The firing codes hadn't worked, not on any secondary firing station anyway. He looked down at the map. ATLAS would wipe out over half the Alliance fleet and destroy their entire economical and political worlds in an instant, causing mass hysteria, panic, and chaos. Eventually, anarchy would arise, and a new dark age would begin. Jack didn't care about causing chaos. All he wanted was the annihilation of all forces that tried to distort the will of God. Politicians, figureheads, celebrities, wealth, all these things contributed to the lack of faith. He was a thumb of God, and he would do anything to see the Light. Jack smashed the computer console, hitting it again and again with the butt of his gun. He stopped, looking at his hands.

Bloody Hell, he thought. I broke a nail.


	12. Have A Nice Day

They say in hotels, just like space, no one can hear you scream. Oddly enough, even as intelligent as he was, Jack didn't care. He screamed his lungs out. He'd had a tough day. The firing codes worked, but they didn't work on the battleship he'd spent ages tracking down. They only worked at ATLAS Command, and he had no clue as to where to even start looking. His favourite knife got bent as he pulled it out of the taxi driver's back. His hotel hadn't included the mandatory free bible that they were supposed to by law. The young woman he'd tried to rape cried to much, and he'd had to snap her neck. He'd spilt ketchup on his favourite shirt. The wine he'd bought was of poor quality, and so was the bottle, as he discovered as he smashed in the head of the shopkeeper. The church had been burnt down, and even though he'd found the people who'd done it and stuck them on meat hooks (Through the left shoulder, as was his tradition), it hadn't satisfied him. He'd found out that all TV networks had stopped broadcasting re-runs of Cheers centuries ago. He'd found his first grey hairs. He couldn't find any music by Guns and Roses anywhere. 

The last straw was when the machine in his room wouldn't give him ANY SODDING COFFEE! He tore the machine out of the wall in a fit of rage, throwing it out the window. He tried to calm down as the sounds of screams and crashes reached his ears, but it did no good. He picked up his phone to make a complaint, and to tell them he would not be recommending this hotel to any of his friends of family. The thought brought a smile to his face, if only for a second, before his mood set in again.

He really needed his coffee.

* * *

An hour later, he was sitting in the armchair in his room, putting up his feet, sipping what was left of his coffee. It hadn't been a good day, but since his coffee, he'd decided to enjoy what was left He looked around his room. Maps were strewn over the table, the window was smashed, and the coffee machine had been torn out of the wall, along with the surrounding wallpaper. His favourite knife, clean and fixed, was resting in its sheath, hanging on the cupboard doorknob. A hotel assistant, covered in blood and hanging from the wall by his left shoulder, was dripping onto the carpet. He didn't want to do it, but he hadn't asked for decaf. He HATED decaf. Finally, the lovely, young, beautiful assistant who'd brought him this King of coffees, was naked, bound and gagged on the bed. He'd raped her twice, feeling himself rush into her. It would have been pleasant, if it weren't for her persistent whimpering. She had succulent breasts, and it had been fun to play with them. Before the clerk had died, he'd gotten him to help, fulfilling a few of his fantasies and whatnot. Still, he was bored now. He looked at the viagra on the desk, given to him free of charge by the hotel, and then back at the assistant. Hell, he thought, third time lucky.

* * *

Another hour later, he washed his hands. She'd been real horny after all, the little minx. She was scared when he forced her to take the viagra, whimpering, even, but afterwards, he could see the effect it had on her. He'd made sure no one was around before he removed the gag. He'd told her, in no uncertain terms, it would be much worse if she screamed for help. After she took it, on the other hand, she became a right tease. He didn't know a woman that young would know all those positions. She screamed for him, wanted more! When she finally climaxed, she went to sleep, and woke up riding him. Those things she was made to do…she was still crying now. He'd had more goes on her, and each time she gave him more pleasure. Jack sighed. Today had started badly, and had ended quite well. He looked over at his clock. Time to go. He took the recording he'd made of them together, leaving her a copy with his voice changed and his face blocked out, and went off to meet his appointment, the woman still whimpering on the bed. He probably should have killed her, he thought as he left the hotel, but she wouldn't be able to remember his features. None of them ever did. 


	13. Country Roads

Jack watched the pieces in front of him. He was a great lover of chess. He liked all the pieces; pawns for their potential, rooks for their direct thinking, bishops for their more nimble ways, and Queens for their outright brute force. He had a love/hate relationship with the King. It was so weak, yet it couldn't be taken unless cornered from all directions, and without it you lost. His favourite piece, on the other hand, was the knight. So devious, and a tactician's favourite. You never knew exactly how it was going to strike, but it always had a similar pattern. For an experienced player, you could use it to take down a novice, yet theirs never held real power. He read the board, watching the pieces intently, before picking up the knight and placing it back on the board. He looked up at the man next to him, his eyes rolled up, his skin shrivelled, blood pouring from every orifice. Jack knocked over his opponent's King, and smiled. 

'Checkmate.'

* * *

The ship flew. Mal had always attributed spaceships to actual ships, comparing their movements to those of boats, yet this spaceship actually flew. It felt like the first time you ever left atmo, the exhilarating rush of adrenaline as you realised that for the first time in your life, you were truly free. It could, of course, all be contributed to the speed of the ship. It didn't really do gravity, as such. The ship focused on speed, rather than comfort, and Mal respected that. It just felt weird when you could bound up steps five at a time without any effort. He'd sent Kaylee to the engine room, just to see what made these things tick. He hoped she'd be shiny down there. Didn't know what ran the ship, or how it worked. Just did.

* * *

Kaylee was mesmerised by the object in front of her. A big, spherical metal casket that seemed to pulse. She swore she saw the metal quiver, like water in a stormy sea. It was quite eerie.

'Well, here,' Nikolai told her in his thick Russian accent, 'Is the Core.' Kaylee looked around the room, and saw that there was nothing else in there. No coolant tanks, no engine, no anything. Just the casket, and lots of heavy metal plating. Big pipes lead from the Core, appearing to absorb the energy emanating from it.

'How does it work?' Kaylee asked, staring in wonder. Nikolai laughed.

'No clue.' Kaylee turned to him, quite worried.

'You don't know!' She asked.

'Yeah.' He replied, quite embarrassed, 'Trust me,' he said, seeing her expression, 'If it doesn't work, you can't fix it.'

'What? What if something went wrong?' Nikolai chuckled.

'Wrong? Girl, if something went wrong with it, you'd never have time to care.' He stopped laughing. 'You'd either be floating around, dead in space, or just plain dead.' Kaylee hoped he was kidding.

* * *

Belle sat in the Captain's seat, watching the world. She couldn't believe the Captain. She had much more important things to do than help civilians, and she knew it. But the Captain did wake her up- well, she thought, that handsome young doctor had. But still, they had awoken her, so they at least deserved some help with the ship her ex had apparently trashed. After that, though, she was leaving them. She needed to find an ATLAS mothership, something with communication codes. If she couldn't contact ATLAS, Belle thought, she didn't know what she would do. She sighed. As she did so, the computer pinged, and revealed to her that it had finished downloading the updated cortex. Without any real purpose, she looked over the law enforcement section, until she found something that interested her. Bounty Hunting. Hmm. Weapons, fast ship, loyal and deadly crew, yeah, why not? She pressed the link, and the console analysed her request, sending her all the latest warrants. She scrolled down, looking for something not too hard, but well paying to start her off. She paused when she came to an entry that deeply puzzled her.

THE CREW OF SERENITY

WANTED FOR CLASSIFIED CRIMES

REWARD 5,000,000,000 SQUARE

Serenity…where had she seen that name before?

She opened up the file, and gasped in shock when she saw the profiles. The highest price fetched was on the head of their Captain, Mal. Next highest were on the heads of that River girl and her recently-engaged brother, Simon. Belle grinned, saving the link into her favourites file. It was definitely a good contingency plan if everything went pear-shaped.

* * *

Below deck, Jayne was loading up Vera. Gorram Jack, gettin' us mixed up in all this, he thought. Wish it were all over. That Jack had badly hurt the doc, and poor Kaylee. He gripped Vera harder, his knuckles turning white. Son of a bitch never just left well alone, he thought, thinking of Simon. He pro'bly distracted Kaylee, gettin' a last kiss or such. He both hated and respected the good Doctor. On the one hand, he'd come into their lives like a bad dream, him and his moonbrained sister of his, River. Harder to get jobs, avoiding Alliance so much. Even turnin' down legal ones, just to keep 'em safe. On the other hand, Jayne contemplated, he'd patched him up good on several occasions, he'd saved Zoe and Kaylee's lives in his time, thought, Jayne reasoned, it were his fault they got caused in the first place. However, Jayne couldn't deny that in the past year, Simon and Kaylee had stepped up their relationship a notch, started ruttin' all over the place. Not only that, though, Simon treated her real nice. One time, he'd cooked her a dinner all by himself. A good dinner, at that. He'd taken her out on the more pleasant planets, and treated her to a nice meal or two. Also, when they needed Simon to come through for them, he did so. He weren't no coward, though not much of a fighter. Maybe, he thought, Simon won't be too bad for Kaylee after all. He looked down at his belt, checking items. Ammo, check. Pistol, check. Knife, check. Other knife, check…

* * *

Kaylee walked up the stairs, prancing in low gravity. She felt so happy, so joyous. At the top, she bumped straight into Simon. Smiling, she grabbed him by the collar, and gave him a big, wet kiss. He picked her up, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist.

'Hello to you too.' Simon said, cheerfully.

'Oh, it's just now every time I see you, I just wanna take a big bite outta ya.' Kaylee told him. 'Failing that, just a snog will do me fine.' She stroked his chest. 'You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'? She asked him.

'Might be.' He grinned mischievously.

'Ever done it in low-gravity?' She said.

'Nope.'

'Wanna?'

* * *

Jack's head was spinning. That damn guard had tried one of those namby-pamby sonic guns on him. Jack preferred his own personal brand of high-tech weapons, but decided against it in favour of smashing his head in on the wall. Still, he thought as he made his way along the corridor, it made his brain hurt. He stopped, remembering his directions, smashing open the wall on his left. He saw what he wanted. Unfortunately, a seven story drop to the street wanted otherwise. He looked down, then at his target, judging difference. He ran back up the corridor, turning round at the end, and taking out his favourite toy. He braced himself, pulling on his helmet. Jack ran up the corridor, and at the hole in the wall, spun around without stopping, firing down at the opposite wall. There was a blinding light, and he was flung as if out of a cannon. He looked down at the street below. Such tiny people, he thought, as he smashed into the window. Ow. That hadn't helped his head at all.

He hit the ground rolling, shooting the man standing there in shock square in the head, blood splattering the wall behind him. Jack saw what he needed. A map, notes, written in an inexplicable language. Well, thought Jack, now to get the decoder, and without a second thought he attached a grappling hook to the windowsill and abseiled down the side of the building. Waiting halfway down, Jack waited for the right moment before leaping, hitting the hovercar that was flying by. He smashed open the rear windscreen, swinging himself in, breaking the driver's neck and pushing him out. As he sat down in the dead man's chair, he thought about himself. He hadn't noticed who these people stopping him were, what buildings they were in or who they worked for, what nationality or race they were or anything. The only reason he chose Serenity is that it had the right engine, and that psychic had provided a worthwhile distraction for the crew while he went about his duties. Still, he'd felt something probing his mind the night before he arrived. It was, peculiar, as if someone was scooping out his mind, examining it, then putting it back exactly how they found it. Maybe she learnt something, although it would probably be messed up, perhaps in the wrong time frame. That girl had definitely seen something, however. Maybe later, Jack thought as he hit the accelerator, he should take up the task of finding out what.


End file.
